Transportation in London- What a Nifty Thing!

One aspect of British culture that changed quite rapidly during the 20th century was the system of transportation. In smaller cities, change didn’t occur as quickly as it would have in larger, more populated areas, like London. For the sole reason that I am living and traveling in London, I decided that it would be interesting to investigate the development of transportation and its effects on London’s residents.

In 1904 the first motor bus service began in London, followed shortly afterwards by the first underground electric train in 1906. What this meant for those living in London was greater freedom of movement, especially for those in the workforce. Commuting was now an option, and would become a greater one as the century progressed.

After WWI, public transportation expanded a great deal. New “omnibus” routes were established and new railway lines laid. Sir John Betjeman, a favorite broadcaster of the British, even termed it “metroland”. This metro system, now fondly referred to as the Tube, has developed into something of an icon in British culture. As the world’s oldest underground railway, it was also the first to operate electric trains. The Underground has 270 stations, and something like 250 miles of track. This effectively makes it the longest metro system in the world and, if Wikipedia is to be trusted, in 2007, “over one billion passenger journeys were recorded”. Whew. What a popular London attraction!

There are two other forms of transportation that come to mind when I think of London: the black taxi cab and the red double-decker bus. The red London bus has undergone many transformations since its beginnings as a horse drawn omnibus service providing transportation from Paddington into the city in 1829. Since then it has developed to coincide with the London Underground as part of the “London Passenger Transport Board”. What this means, you might wonder, is that anyone with an “Oyster Card” can jump on the bus or struggle onto the tube anytime they want. Personally, I think the view from the top of a cheerful red double-decker is much more fun.

As not all residents of the London area are as poor as me, I’ll take the time to give a brief history of the taxi system as well (as it is also quite vital to the transportation of happy Londoners and their guests from around the world). The taxi system in London has the longest history, starting out as a hackney coach in the 17th century. There were as few as twenty available for hire, and as tariffs started to be applied, the first taxi rank appeared in 1636. The British still use the official term ‘Hackney carriage’ to describe their taxis. Anywho, technology increased, as it is known to do, and by the beginning of the 20th century petrol-powered taxis were in service. Today, taxicab service in London is provided by the famous black cabs and by minicabs.
One piece of information I found quite interesting, and which I am going to copy and paste into my blog is about “The Knowledge” taxi cab drivers here in London have to have. My source is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxicabs_of_the_United_Kingdom

“The taxicab driver is required to be able to decide routes immediately in response to a passenger's request or traffic conditions, rather than stopping to look at a map, rely on satellite navigation or ask a controller by radio. Consequently, the 'Knowledge of London' Examination System, informally known as 'The Knowledge', is the in-depth study of London street routes and places of interest that taxicab-drivers in that city must complete to obtain a licence to operate a black cab. It was initiated in 1865, and has changed little since. It is the world's most demanding training course for taxicab-drivers, and applicants will usually need at least 12 'Appearances' (attempts at the final test), after preparation averaging 34 months, to pass the examination.”

Quite interesting, mm?

Overall, the history and information I could provide you about the transportation system here in London is quite interesting, but at times too long and too much to tell. What I can conclude though, is that Britain has been an extraordinary influence for the rest of the world, blazing a path for modern transportation with momentous innovations and many icons to leave us with a smile on our face.

If you’re still interested to learn more about transportation in London, here are some websites!
The History of the London Black Cab:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A744888

A Comprehensive History of Buses in London:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buses_in_London

The London Underground: (!)
http://underground-history.co.uk/front.php
(this one’s got great information about “ghost stations”!)

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground