Too close for comfort: Passengers’ experiences of the London Underground

Our report documents the passenger experience on the London Underground, capturing how the stress and frustrations of overcrowding and line closures affect peoples’ behaviour and travel choices. It calls for a different approach to how overcrowding and upgrade works are managed by London Underground in order to improve the situation for passengers.

A survey of Tube users highlights the impact on people during morning peak hours, when some trains are carrying more than four people per square metre. Detailed interviews with Tube users also identified ‘coping strategies’ people adopt on overcrowded trains, from becoming more ruthless to ‘shutting down’.

The report highlights ways the passenger experience could be improved, including ensuring new trains make the most of the best available designs, and providing clear ‘traffic light’ information about crowding levels and details of alternative routes. The committee recognises the ongoing investment programme will create much-needed extra capacity on the Tube, but calls for changes to the way upgrade works are procured and carried out in order to minimise disruption.

Read our report below:

Too close for comfort PDF
Too close for comfort RTF

The committee commissioned consultants Andrew Irving Associates to undertake research into passengers’ experiences of overcrowding and line closures:

Andrew Irving Associates report PDF
Andrew Irving Associates report RTF

The Mayor's response to our report is available to view:

Mayor's response to passenger experience report PDF

Mayor's response to passenger experience report RTF

We wrote to London Underground requesting more information about plans to use block closures, as recommended in our report:

Letter to London Underground PDF

Letter to London Underground RTF

Response from London Underground PDF

Response from London Underground RTF