London Transport in Decline - Essay Example

London transport in decline LONDON TRANSPORT IN DECLINE GRACE SARKAR Order No. 352844 18 January Table of Contents Introduction… 3 The traveling scenario … 4 Travel costs … 6 The Underground and Dockland light railway (DLR) 7 Taxis … 9 Conclusion … 10 Sources … 11 Photos sources … 11 LONDON TRANSPORT IN DECLINE Introduction London is heavily populated with about 8 million people. This population dwarfs the tremendous flow of traffic in London by buses, underground and mainline railways, trams and cabs. However, considering the size of the passengers at 3 million daily, the transport system in London is second to none although its daily challenges of ferrying across its vast populace has somewhat frayed the system (Population of London, 2009). “Transport for London (TfL) is responsible for the entire transport system in London. Its official website is very comprehensive and provides travel tips, downloadable maps for all modes of transport and information about where and how to get various kinds of travel tickets/passes. First time visitors better study all the possible modes of transport and plan the itinerary carefully before starting to explore the enchanting beauty of the city” (The London Transport System, 2010). Fig. 1 – Location of London Transport Museum During the peak hours, that is between 9.00 and 10.30 a.m. and 4.00 and 5.30 pm, the traffic could be daunting as these are the rush hours and people travel to and from during these hours. Other than these timings, traveling is relatively peaceful and enjoyable during rest of the day. The traveling scenario Traveling in London can get to the nerves when it slows down in certain places because of traffic congestion. But traffic congestion allows one to enjoy the sights even more. London has its share of stately buildings and parks. There is also the mighty river, Thames, flowing through the city. It is not for nothing that over 14 percent of the population in the United Kingdom lives in London. However, the high population and business life in London has frayed the traveling system in London. Almost around the year, there is some repair or modification work at an Underground site that slows down travel by Underground rails. “Travel experts feel that the underground is showing its age, resulting in frequent delays, escalators going out of action and some stations being closed for repairs, especially during weekends. Though crime is not rampant, tourists are advised to avoid empty carriages, especially in the late hours. Smoking is prohibited both at the station and on the carriage. Tickets can be purchased at the station before entering the tube” (The London Transport System, 2010). Figure 2 - London Transport Museum & Transport for London in early 20th century “The London Underground is Europes largest metro subway system and is the worlds oldest underground system. It was inaugurated in 1863. It covers 253 miles of track and transports 976 million people yearly. The Underground is also connected to a variety of rail services to Londons surrounding areas, including the Eurostar to Paris. Among these services is the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), a popular driverless light rail extension, which offers many scenic views of the Thames River and surrounding areas (Vacation Packages, 2009). “Londons buses go everywhere in the city. The map is a treasure in itself, because when you zoom in, you can see all the main roads, all the parks, all the attractions, the actual locations of all the tube stations and of course, where all the buses run. Similar maps are available on the TFL site for all the areas of outer London too. Have a look at the bus spider maps too, which show the routes in a diagrammatic form, which is easier to follow. You can pay for individual journeys on the bus as you get on. Single journeys of any length in the central area cost £1.20 (£0.40 for children). If you have a travelcard, you do not pay extra; just show it to the driver. A travelcard for buses only costs £3.00 for the whole day (£1.00 for children), which is a real bargain. If you are a night owl, its good to know that there is an extensive network of night buses, running right across London. Details of this network are available on the TFL site.” (Ricardo, 2000-2010) Travel costs Traveling by buses could be costly if it is not planned beforehand. A journey could cost £4.00 and above which is as much as a whole day’s fare if planned zone-wise. Hence, it is wise to plan the journey for the day and decide on the fares. Journey for the day or multiple days are available in different denominations for different zones. The fares for these are issued on what are known as travelcards. “There are one, three and seven day travelcards and the cost is determined not only by time of day travel can start, but the number of zones covered. The £4.70 card is for one day in zones 1 and 2 Figure 3 - Double Decker bus - route #65, taken outside Kew Gardens only, whereas the card covering zones 1 to 6 costs £6.00. You would need the zone 1 to 6 cards if making a visit to outer London to visit places like Kew Gardens. There are also special travel cards for tourists, but these are not always the best value” (Ricardo, 2000-2010). Even then, traveling may be a bit expensive, but the sightseeing compensates the financial loss. A tourist will find much to keep absorbed and happy. A sociologist can gather information about the customs and ways of life of the people in London. Historically, London gives a good account of its halcyon days of the past. An engineer can enrich his knowledge by looking at the engineering feat at different places. In fact, London has the capacity to satisfy the intellectual cravings of anyone. The Underground and Dockland light railway (DLR) “The Underground offers the traveler rapid transport about the city from early in the morning until about midnight, every day of the week. Central London is very well covered and most locations are only short walk from the nearest station. The system also provides access to Heathrow Airport and many parts of outer London” (Ricardo, 2000-2010) Figure 4 - The London Tube “There are 12 different lines, as shown on the famous London Underground Map and for practical purposes the DLR can be considered part of the system. The trains run frequently on all the lines and there is no need to worry about timetables. Once you have arrived on the platform, a train will usually arrive within a few minutes. “Although the trains on the system are all quite modern, there has been under-investment in the infrastructure over the years and hold-ups and breakdowns are not as infrequent as they should be” (Ricardo, 2000-2010) Attempts are being made to make travel in London smooth and efficient. However, the demography of London makes it difficult to achieve top efficiency in transportation services. Since the early decades of the twentieth century efforts have been underway to provide efficient transportation services. “Frank Pick (1878-1941), a Lincolnshire-born solicitor, who joined the Underground Group in 1906 and became managing director of the newly formed London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB) in 1933 commissioned many of the most famous examples of London Transport designs. Being convinced that London Transport should be an exemplar of design excellence, Pick commissioned work of the highest quality for everything from station architecture to litter bins. He ensured that it was implemented with great rigour, regularly traveling the length and breadth of the network, often late at night, to check that every detail was up to scratch. After Pick’s departure in 1940, his work was continued by the publicity manager Christian Barman. Yet standards slipped. With the exception of occasional flashes of inspiration, such as the introduction of the Routemaster Bus in 1956 and the construction of landmark Jubilee Line stations in 2000 – notably by Foster & Partners at Canary Wharf and Michael Hopkins at Westminster – London Transport has lost its reputation for design excellence. It is now best known for the vestiges of its early 20th century design projects” (London Transport, 2006). Taxis You can hail the ubiquitous shiny, black taxis that ply the streets in London. The drivers of these taxis are required to be thoroughly knowledgeable about the thoroughfares in London. They are expensive, so one should avail of the taxis as less as possible. Tips are generally in the region of 10% of the fare. Figure 5 - Black cab on Victoria Embankment Conclusion Obviously the transport system in London is overstretched. Despite the efforts of TfL, the system can remain steady. It is difficult to talk in terms of improving the system because demographically the high population within the constraints of limited area makes improvement difficult to achieve. The transport system is catering to a mind boggling 3 million passengers a day. One cannot pronounce the demise of the transport system in London. However, the system needs to be constantly attended in order to keep it running in the best possible manner. Sources: London 2012, Making it happen, http://www.london-2012.co.uk/Public-Transport-System/ London Transport, 2006, http://designmuseum.org/design/london-transport Population of London, 2009, http://www.virgin-vacations.com/11-top-underground-transit-systems-in-the-world.aspx Ricardo, Getting the Best out of Londons Transportation, 2000-2010, http://www.slowtrav.com/uk/london/transportation.htm The London Transport System, 2010, http://www.omniglot.com/info-articles/london/london-transport-system.html Vacation Packages, Underground Transit Systems throughout the World, 2009, http://www.virgin-vacations.com/11-top-underground-transit-systems-in-the-world.aspx Photos Figure 1 - ©2007 London Transport Museum & Transport for London, www.ltmuseum.co.uk Figure 2 - ©2007 London Transport Museum & Transport for London, http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/72.aspx Figure 3 - Double Decker bus - route #65, taken outside Kew Gardens, http://www.slowtrav.com/uk/london/transportation.htm Figure 4 - The London Tube, photo by Brian Weinberg, http://www.virgin-vacations.com/11-top-underground-transit-systems-in-the-world.aspx Figure 5 - Black cab on Victoria Embankment, http://www.slowtrav.com/uk/london/transportation.htm Read More