Olympic Effort to Make London’s Underground Ready for the Games

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Olympic Effort to Make London’s Underground Ready for the Games

London | 06/25/2012 12:17pm |
Milton Lindsay | Next American City


As the July 27 Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Olympic Games draws ever closer, the world is wondering if the London Underground is up for the ride.

First opening for operation in 1863, the Tube is the world’s oldest subway system. Each day, over 3 million people use the system, which is comprised of 250 miles of track — the second-longest in the world behind Shanghai.



For anyone who has either lived or visited London in recent years, it is clear that the Underground is showing its age. However, since 2005, when London was awarded the 2012 Games, the Tube has undergone a £6.5 billion ($10 billion) system-wide upgrade. Today, the Washington Post ran a story describing the investment made by the city’s transportation agency, Transport for London, to get the Underground ready for the Olympic onslaught.

Upgrades to lines and stations have been the main areas of focus. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://americancity.org/daily/entry/olympic-effort-to-make-londons-underground-ready-for-the-games