Portal:London transport

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London transport

The London transport system is one of the oldest and largest public transport systems in the world. Many components of its transport system, such as the double-decker bus, the Hackney Carriage black taxi and the London Underground, are internationally recognised symbols of London.

Most transport services in London are controlled by Transport for London (TfL), an executive agency of the Greater London Authority. TfL-controlled services include the London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, the London Overground, Buses and Trams, most of which accept payment by the Oyster card. TfL also administers the congestion charge zone and the low emission zone.

London has a comprehensive rail network with several major railway stations linking to the rest of the country. International travel is possible from St Pancras International which connects to mainland Europe through the Eurostar service, or from one of six international airports, including Heathrow or Gatwick.

The M25 is an orbital motorway which enables vehicles to avoid travelling through central London and is one of the busiest motorways in Europe.

More about transport in London


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Selected article
The London congestion charge is a fee for some motorists entering the Central London area. The organisation responsible for the charge is Transport for London (TfL). The fee was introduced on 17 February 2003. The daily charge must be paid by the registered keeper of a vehicle that enters, leaves or moves around within the congestion charge zone between 7 am and 6 pm (previously 6.30 pm), Monday to Friday. Failure to pay the charge means a fine. In February 2007, a western extension of the congestion charge came into effect, but this was ended in December 2010. The scheme makes use of CCTV cameras to record vehicles entering and exiting the zone. Cameras can record number plates with a 90% accuracy rate through automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology. There are also a number of mobile camera units which may be deployed anywhere in the zone. The majority of vehicles within the zone are captured on camera. The cameras take two still pictures in colour and black and white and use infrared technology to identify the number plates. These identified numbers are checked against the list of payees overnight by computer; unrecognised plates are checked manually. Read more... All selected articles
Today's anniversary
Sir Charles Herbert Bressey CB, CBE (3 January 1874 – 14 April 1951) was a civil engineer and surveyor who specialised in road design. Bressey was Chief Engineer for Roads at the Ministry of Transport from 1921 to 1938. Between 1935 and 1938 he carried out research on road planning and motorway design in preparation for his Highway Development Survey, 1937 for Greater London published in 1938. He served as President of the Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 1938-9. During World War I, Bressey served in the Royal Engineers and spent time in France and Flanders constructing military roads attaining the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel before he left the army in November 1919, when he joined the Ministry of Transport. His 1938 report proposed a series of high capacity motorways radiating outwards from the city and made recommendations for a series of circular routes around the capital and major road improvements in the central area, including tunnels under Kensington Gardens, Victoria Park and Islington High Street and a viaduct from Rotherhithe to Forest Hill. Although World War II delayed the implementation of any of the recommendations, they were subsequently featured in a number of post war reports such as Sir Patrick Abercrombie's County of London Plan and the Greater London Council's 1960s London Ringways scheme and were the origins of plans that were later combined to create London's orbital motorway, the M25. (Full article...) All Selected biographies
Did you know...
...that six tube stations are named after pubs: Angel, Elephant & Castle, Manor House, Nine Elms, Royal Oak and Swiss Cottage? ...that the controversial demolition of the original Euston station and the destruction of the iconic Euston Arch in the early 1960s was opposed by many including John Betjeman and Nikolaus Pevsner and led to the formation of the modern conservation movement in the Britain? ...that an estimated half a million mice live on the Underground system, and can often be seen running around the tracks? ...that Tramlink routes first appeared on the standard Tube map in 2016? More Did you know...
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Selected pictures
Image 1Camden Lock or Hampstead Road Lock in Camden Town, north London is the only twin lock on the Regents Canal. Image 2Tram 2548 calls at Arena tram stop. This is one of the trams on the Tramlink network centred on Croydon in south London. Image 3Day (left) and Night (right) sculptures by Sir Jacob Epstein on the London Underground's headquarters at 55 Broadway. Image 4Escalators at Westminster Underground station descend between beams and columns of the station box to reach the deep-level Jubilee line platforms. Image 5Planes waiting at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 4. Image 6Albert Bridge, opened in 1873, crosses the River Thames between Chelsea and Battersea. Image 7Woolwich Ferry boats "John Burns" and "James Newman" on the River Thames, 2012. Image 8London General Omnibus Company B-type bus B340 built in 1911 by AEC. One of a number of London buses purchased by the British military during World War I, this vehicle was operated on the Western Front. Image 9Arguably the best-preserved disused station building in London, this is the former Alexandra Palace station on the GNR Highgate branch (closed in 1954). It is now in use as a community centre (CUFOS). Image 10Hammersmith Bridge, opened in 1887, crosses the River Thames in west London. Image 11Vauxhall Bridge across the River Thames opened in 1906 and features sculptures by F. W. Pomeroy. Image 12Helicopter landing at London Heliport, a jetty constructed in the River Thames in Battersea. Image 13The Circle routes of Victorian London, comprising the Inner Circle, Middle Circle, Outer Circle and Super Outer Circle. Image 14Original stations on the Metropolitan Railway from The Illustrated London News, 27 December 1862. Image 15"Boris Bikes" from the Santander Cycles hire scheme waiting for use at a docking station in Victoria. Image 16Archer statue by Eric Aumonier at East Finchley Underground station. Image 17The original Hampton Court Bridge in 1753, the first of four on the site. Image 18Early style tube roundel in mosaic at Maida Vale Underground station. Image 19Southern approach to the Rotherhithe Tunnel that runs under the River Thames in east London between Rotherhithe and Limehouse. Image 20Rail, road and river traffic, seen from the London Eye. Image 21The western departures concourse of King's Cross railway station. Image 2255 Broadway, headquarters of the UERL and its successors, is a Grade I listed building in Westminster designed by Charles Holden. Image 23Clapham Common Underground station north and south-bound platforms on the Northern line. Image 24Eurostar Class 373 trains at St Pancras station. Image 25An air raid shelter in a London Underground station during The Blitz. Image 26Thames Clippers service catamaran on the River Thames. Image 27A tram of the London United Tramways at Boston Road, Hanwell, circa 1910. Image 28Tower bridge; a bascule bridge across the River Thames. Image 29Qantas Boeing 747-400 about to land at Heathrow Airport, seen beyond the roofs of Myrtle Avenue, Hounslow. Image 30London Underground A60 Stock (left) and 1938 Stock (right) trains showing the difference in the sizes of the two types of rolling stock operated on the system. A60 stock trains operated on the surface and sub-surface sections of the Metropolitan line from 1961 to 2012 and 1938 Stock operated on various deep level tube lines from 1938 to 1988. Image 31Victoria line 2009 Stock train at Euston. Image 32Preserved AEC Routemaster coaches in London Transport Green Line livery. Image 33A Hansom cab at Somerset House. Image 34The multi-level junction between the M23 and M25 motorways near Merstham in Surrey. The M23 passes over the M25 with bridges carrying interchange slip roads for the two motorways in between. Image 35Duck tour converted DUKW amphibious vehicle exiting the River Thames. Image 36Shaftesbury Avenue from Piccadilly Circus, in the West End of London, 1949. Image 37Hornsey Lane Bridge, Archway, more commonly known as "Suicide Bridge". Image 38Stockwell bus garage, Stockwell, a Grade II* listed building. Image 39Sailing ships at West India Docks on the Isle of Dogs in 1810. The docks opened in 1802 and closed in 1980 and have since been redeveloped as the Canary Wharf development. Image 40TX4 London Taxi at Heathrow Airport. Image 41London Underground Battery-electric locomotive L16 designed to operate over tracks where the traction current is turned off for maintenance work. Image 42London Overground Class 378 train on the East London Line in Hoxton. Image 43Gondolas of the Emirates Air Line cable car cross the River Thames from Greenwich Peninsula to Royal Docks. Image 44The newly constructed junction of the Westway (A40) and the West Cross Route (A3220) at White City, circa 1970. Continuation of the West Cross Route northwards under the roundabout was cancelled leaving two short unused stubs for the slip roads that would have been provided for traffic joining or leaving the northern section. Image 45The New Routemaster built by Wrightbus has three entrances, two staircases and is designed to be reminiscent of the Routemaster. Image 46View of Old London Bridge, circa 1632 by Claude de Jongh. Image 47The south façade of King's Cross railway station London terminus of the East Coast Main Line. Image 48Ruislip Lido Railway's 12-inch (300 mm) gauge locomotive "Mad Bess" hauling a passenger train. Image 49Central London Railway poster, published in 1905. All Selected pictures
In the news
10 August – One person dies and two others are injured in a bus crash at Victoria bus station.[1] 20 September – Northern line extension from Kennington to Battersea Power Station opens.[2] 25 October – The Ultra Low Emission Zone extends to include the area of Greater London within the North and South Circular Roads.[3] 22 November – Transport for London announces a series of temporary overnight and weekend closures for repairs to the elevated section of Westway.[4] 15 January – Northern line Bank branch closes between Kennington and Moorgate for 17 weeks for construction works at Bank station.[5] Archive
Anniversaries
14 April 1940 – Northern line extends from East Finchley to High Barnet. 1951 – Death of Sir Charles Bressey, road engineer. More for April