You probably haven't read the Mayor's newly-published Transport Strategy - a lengthy document outlining how London's infrastructure ought to evolve in the future. It's all a bit aspirational, especially in the long-term, and contains few surprises. But there are a couple of fascinating maps in Chapter 6 showing "crowding levels" on the tube and on commuter rail services. Grey lines show the quietest routes, each with less than one standing passenger per square metre at peak times. Green is 1-2, then orange 2-3, then red 3-4. And black represents the really squashed parts of the network, with more than four standing passengers crammed into every square metre of floor. For a much closer look at both maps, check out pages 6 and 7 of this pdf, where you'll also be able to see how things might improve by 2031 if funding keeps up. If your daily commute is via one of the busy sections, pray that nobody cuts London's transport budget in the immediate future.
The crowdedest bits of London's tube network in the morning rush hour Central: Mile End → Chancery Lane District: Fulham Broadway → Earl's Court Jubilee: Baker Street → Bond Street; London Bridge → Canary Wharf Northern: Kentish Town → Camden Town; King's Cross → Old Street; Clapham Common → Stockwell; Oval → Kennington; London Bridge → Bank Piccadilly: Finsbury Park → Holborn; South Ealing → Acton Town; Earl's Court → Knightsbridge Victoria: Highbury & Islington → Oxford Circus; Victoria → Green Park DLR: Shadwell → Bank
The crowdedest bits of London's rail network in the morning rush hour Overground: Brondesbury → Gospel Oak First Capital Connect: Palmers Green → Alexandra Palace; Finsbury Park → Old Street National Express East Anglia: Bruce Grove → Seven Sisters c2c: Rainham → Barking Southeastern: Hither Green → Lewisham Southern: Honor Oak Park → London Bridge South West Trains: Wandsworth Town → Clapham Junction
