London Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==Transport== {{main|Transport in London|Infrastructure in London}} Transport is one of the four main areas of policy administered by the Mayor of London,<ref name=london_121>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ |title=Transport for London |publisher=Transport for London |access-date=27 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104235448/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ |archive-date=4 January 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> but the mayor's financial control does not extend to the longer-distance rail network that enters London. In 2007 the Mayor of London assumed responsibility for some local lines, which now form the [[London Overground]] network, adding to the existing responsibility for the London Underground, trams and buses. The public transport network is administered by [[Transport for London]] (TfL).<ref name="london_goverance"/> The lines that formed the London Underground, as well as trams and buses, became part of an integrated transport system in 1933 when the [[London Passenger Transport Board]] or ''[[London Transport (brand)|London Transport]]'' was created. Transport for London is now the statutory corporation responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London, and is run by a board and a commissioner appointed by the [[Mayor of London]].<ref name=stat_tfl>{{Cite web |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/help/faq.jsp#transport |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071019055413/http://www.london.gov.uk/help/faq.jsp |archive-date=19 October 2007 |title=How do I find out about transport in London? |publisher=Greater London Authority |access-date=5 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> ===Aviation=== {{main|Airports of London}} [[File:Heathrow Terminal 5C Iwelumo-1.jpg|thumb|[[Heathrow Airport]] is the busiest airport in Europe as well as the second busiest in the world for international passenger traffic ([[Heathrow Terminal 5|Terminal 5]]C is pictured).]] London is a major international air transport hub with the [[World's busiest city airport systems by passenger traffic|busiest city airspace in the world]].<ref name="Busiest skies"/> Eight airports use the word ''London'' in their name, but most traffic passes through six of these. Additionally, [[Airports of London|various other airports]] also serve London, catering primarily to [[general aviation]] flights. *[[Heathrow Airport]], in [[London Borough of Hillingdon|Hillingdon]], West London, was for many years the [[World's busiest airport|busiest airport in the world]] for international traffic, and is the major hub of the nation's flag carrier, [[British Airways]].<ref name="london_135">{{Cite web|year=2020|title=Heathrow Airport Travel Report 2019|url=https://www.heathrow.com/content/dam/heathrow/web/common/documents/company/heathrow-2-0-sustainability/futher-reading/Heathrow-Airport-Travel-Report-2019.pdf|access-date=25 March 2021|website=[[Heathrow Airport]]|publisher=LHR Airports Limited|page=38}}</ref> In March 2008 its fifth terminal was opened.<ref name=london_137>{{cite web |url=http://www.heathrow-airport-uk.info/heathrow-airport-terminal-5.htm |title=Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 |publisher=TMC Ltd |access-date=27 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430195211/http://www.heathrow-airport-uk.info/heathrow-airport-terminal-5.htm |archive-date=30 April 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> *[[Gatwick Airport]], south of London in [[West Sussex]], handles flights to more destinations than any other UK airport and is the main base of [[easyJet]], the UK's largest airline by number of passengers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Airline Data Annual Reports 2017|url=https://www.caa.co.uk/Data-and-analysis/UK-aviation-market/Airlines/Datasets/UK-Airline-data/2017/Airline-data-annual-reports-2017/|access-date=25 March 2021|website=[[Civil Aviation Authority]]}}</ref> *[[London Stansted Airport]], north-east of London in [[Essex]], has flights that serve the greatest number of European destinations of any UK airport and is the main base of [[Ryanair]], the world's largest international airline by number of international passengers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stanstedairport.com/about-us/london-stansted-airport-and-mag/facts-and-figures/ |title=Facts and Figures – Stansted Airport |website=stanstedairport.com}}</ref> *[[Luton Airport]], to the north of London in [[Bedfordshire]], is used by several budget airlines (especially easyJet and [[Wizz Air]]) for short-haul flights.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.london-luton.co.uk/en/ |title=London Luton Airport |year=1969 |publisher=London Luton Airport |access-date=27 April 2008 |isbn=978-0-11-510256-1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501023741/http://www.london-luton.co.uk/en |archive-date=1 May 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> *[[London City Airport]], the most central airport and the one with the shortest runway, in [[London Borough of Newham|Newham]], East London, is focused on business travellers, with a mixture of full-service short-haul scheduled flights and considerable [[business jet]] traffic.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.londoncityairport.com/Default.aspx |title=London City Airport — Corporate Information |publisher=London City Airport Ltd. |access-date=6 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110423115236/http://www.londoncityairport.com/Default.aspx |archive-date=23 April 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> *[[London Southend Airport]], east of London in [[Essex]], is a smaller, regional airport that caters for short-haul flights on a limited, though growing, number of airlines.<ref>{{cite web |title=Londoners love our airport |date=18 May 2018 |first=Adam |last=Cornell |url-status=live |url=http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/16234556.Londoners_love_our_airport/?ref=rss |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190612091241/http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/16234556.Londoners_love_our_airport/?ref=rss |archive-date=12 June 2019 |access-date=8 August 2019}}</ref> In 2017, international passengers made up over 95% of the total at Southend, the highest proportion of any London airport.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2017 |title=Airport data 2017 – UK Civil Aviation Authority |url=http://www.caa.co.uk/Data-and-analysis/UK-aviation-market/Airports/Datasets/UK-Airport-data/Airport-data-2017/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226130311/https://www.caa.co.uk/Data-and-analysis/UK-aviation-market/Airports/Datasets/UK-Airport-data/Airport-data-2017/ |archive-date=26 February 2021 |access-date=25 March 2021 |website=[[Civil Aviation Authority]]}}</ref> ===Rail=== ====Underground and DLR==== [[File:Baker Street tube station MMB 19 S Stock.jpg|thumb|The [[London Underground]] is the world's oldest and third-longest [[rapid transit]] system.]] Opened in 1863, the [[London Underground]], commonly referred to as the Tube or just the Underground, is the oldest and third longest [[rapid transit|metro]] system in the world.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-20641351 |title=Oyster card celebrates 150th Tube anniversary |work=BBC News |date=10 December 2012 |access-date=10 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.citymetric.com/transport/what-largest-metro-system-world-1361 |title=What is the largest metro system in the world? |date=5 September 2015 |work=City Metric |access-date=12 June 2018 |location=London |archive-date=12 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190612085224/https://www.citymetric.com/transport/what-largest-metro-system-world-1361 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The system serves [[List of London Underground stations|272 stations]], and was formed from several private companies, including the world's first underground electric line, the [[City and South London Railway]], which opened in 1890.<ref>{{cite news |title=A brief history of the Underground |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/culture-and-heritage/londons-transport-a-history/london-underground/a-brief-history-of-the-underground |access-date=23 January 2023 |publisher=Transport for London}}</ref> Over four million journeys are made every day on the Underground network, over 1 billion each year.<ref name=london_124>{{Cite press release |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/static/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/7103.html |title=Tube breaks record for passenger numbers |publisher=Transport for London |date=27 December 2007 |access-date=5 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427025251/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/static/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/7103.html |archive-date=27 April 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> An investment programme is attempting to reduce congestion and improve reliability, including £6.5 billion (€7.7 billion) spent before the [[2012 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The London 2012 legacy |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/25869.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018211357/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/25869.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 October 2012 |publisher=Transport for London |access-date=11 August 2013}}</ref> The [[Docklands Light Railway|Docklands Light Railway (DLR)]], which opened in 1987, is a second, more [[medium-capacity rail transport system|local metro system]] using smaller and lighter tram-type vehicles that serve the [[London Docklands|Docklands]], [[Greenwich]] and [[Lewisham]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/culture-and-heritage/londons-transport-a-history/dlr |title= London's transport - a history: Docklands Light Railway (DLR) |publisher=Transport for London |access-date=17 November 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140615201803/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/culture-and-heritage/londons-transport-a-history/dlr |archive-date=15 June 2014 }}</ref> ====Suburban==== There are [[List of London railway stations|368 railway stations]] in the [[London fare zones|London Travelcard Zones]] on an extensive above-ground suburban railway network. South London, particularly, has a high concentration of railways as it has fewer Underground lines. Most rail lines terminate around the centre of London, running into [[London station group|eighteen terminal stations]], with the exception of the [[Thameslink (route)|Thameslink]] trains connecting [[Bedford]] in the north and [[Brighton]] in the south via [[London Luton Airport|Luton]] and [[Gatwick Airport|Gatwick]] airports.<ref name="london_127">{{Cite web |url=http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/Main.php?sEvent=HomePage |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130091433/http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/Main.php?sEvent=HomePage |archive-date=30 January 2010 |title=First Capital Connect |publisher=First Capital Connect |access-date=27 April 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> London has Britain's busiest station by number of passengers—[[London Waterloo station|Waterloo]], with over 184 million people using the interchange station complex (which includes [[London Waterloo East railway station|Waterloo East]] station) each year.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529 |title=Rail Station Usage |publisher=Office of Rail Regulation |access-date=24 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705115621/http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529 |archive-date=5 July 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{rws|Clapham Junction}} is one of Europe's busiest rail interchanges.<ref>{{cite news |title=Council looks at extension of London Underground's Northern line to Clapham Junction |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-underground-northern-line-clapham-junction-wandsworth-borough-council-b1056869.html |access-date=15 April 2023 |work=Evening Standard}}</ref> With the need for more rail capacity, the [[Elizabeth line|Elizabeth Line]] (also known as Crossrail) opened in May 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/crossrail-elizabeth-line-opening-date-announced-may-24-london-tube-tfl-transport-for-london-b997837.html |title=Crossrail opening date finally announced |date=4 May 2022 |access-date=4 May 2022}}</ref> It is a new railway line running east to west through London and into the [[Home Counties]] with a branch to [[Heathrow Airport]].<ref>{{Cite web |year=2021 |title=Regional Map |url=http://www.crossrail.co.uk/route/maps/regional-map |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024104105/http://www.crossrail.co.uk/route/maps/regional-map |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 October 2010 |access-date=27 March 2021 |website=[[Crossrail]] }}</ref> It was Europe's biggest construction project, with a £15 billion projected cost.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lister |first=Richard |date=2 January 2012 |title=Crossrail's giant tunnelling machines unveiled |work=[[BBC News]]|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16289051 |access-date=27 March 2021}}</ref> ====Inter-city and international==== [[File:St Pancras Railway Station 2012-06-23.jpg|thumb|[[St Pancras railway station|St Pancras International]] is the main terminal for high-speed [[Eurostar]] and [[High Speed 1]] services, as well as commuter suburban Thameslink and inter-city [[East Midlands Railway]] services.]] London is the centre of the [[National Rail]] network, with 70 per cent of rail journeys starting or ending in London.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2014 |title=Rail |url=http://londonfirst.co.uk/our-focus/londons-transport-infrastructure/rail/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407083946/http://londonfirst.co.uk/our-focus/londons-transport-infrastructure/rail/ |archive-date=7 April 2014 |access-date=5 April 2014 |website=London First}}</ref> [[London King's Cross railway station|King's Cross station]] and [[Euston railway station|Euston station]], both in London, are the starting points of the [[East Coast Main Line]] and the [[West Coast Main Line]] – the two main railway lines in Britain. Like suburban rail services, regional and inter-city trains depart from several termini around the city centre, directly linking London with most of Great Britain's major cities and towns.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smithers |first=Andrew |date=8 December 2020 |title=Great Britain National Rail Train Operators |url=https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/TOCs%20AS%20v46%20Dec%202020.pdf |access-date=27 March 2021 |website=[[National Rail]] |archive-date=23 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423051734/https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/TOCs%20AS%20v46%20Dec%202020.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[Flying Scotsman (train)|The Flying Scotsman]]'' is an express passenger train service that has operated between London and Edinburgh since 1862; the world famous steam locomotive named after this service, [[LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman|''Flying Scotsman'']], was the first locomotive to reach the officially authenticated speed of 100 miles per hour (161 km/h) in 1934.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Flying Scotsman: How the first 100mph locomotive became the most famous train in the world |url=https://www.countrylife.co.uk/out-and-about/the-flying-scotsman-how-the-first-100mph-locomotive-became-the-most-famous-train-in-the-world-252287|access-date=22 April 2023 |magazine=[[Country Life (magazine)|Country Life]]}}</ref> Some international railway services to [[Continental Europe]] were operated during the 20th century as [[boat train]]s. The opening of the [[Channel Tunnel]] in 1994 connected London directly to the continental rail network, allowing [[Eurostar]] services to begin. Since 2007, high-speed trains link [[St Pancras railway station|St. Pancras International]] with [[Lille]], [[Calais]], Paris, [[Disneyland Paris]], Brussels, [[Amsterdam]] and other European tourist destinations via the [[High Speed 1]] rail link and the [[Channel Tunnel]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 November 2007 |title=Eurostar arrives in Paris on time |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7093761.stm |access-date=27 March 2021 |website=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> The first [[Southeastern (train operating company)|high-speed domestic]] trains started in June 2009 linking [[Kent]] to London.<ref name="Southeastern Highspeed">{{Cite web |url=http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/highspeed/ |title=Highspeed |publisher=Southeastern |access-date=5 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501110057/http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/highspeed/ |archive-date=1 May 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> There are plans for a [[High Speed 2|second high speed line]] linking London to the Midlands, North West England, and Yorkshire.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=11 February 2021|title=Phase 2a Act to bring HS2 to the north|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/phase-2a-act-to-bring-hs2-to-the-north|access-date=28 July 2022|website=gov.uk|language=en}}</ref> ===Buses, coaches and trams=== {{multiple image | footer = The [[New Routemaster]] (left) replaced the [[AEC Routemaster]] (right) in 2012. First appearing in 1947, the red double-decker bus is an emblematic symbol of London. | align = left | width = | image1 = LT3 (10288453965).jpg | width1 = 218 | image2 = East London Routemaster bus RM2050 (ALM 50B) heritage route 15 St Pauls 5 December 2005.jpg | width2 = 120 }} London's [[London Buses|bus network]] runs 24 hours a day with about 9,300 vehicles, over 675 bus routes and about 19,000 bus stops.<ref name="Buses">{{Cite web |title=What we do – Buses |url= http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/what-we-do/buses |publisher= Transport for London |access-date=5 April 2014}}</ref> In 2019 the network had over 2 billion commuter trips per year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 October 2020 |title=Annual bus statistics: England 2019/20 |url= https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/929992/annual-bus-statistics-year-ending-march-2020.pdf |access-date=25 March 2021 |publisher=Department for Transport |page=2}}</ref> Since 2010 an average of £1.2 billion is taken in revenue each year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 March 2021 |title=Government support for the bus industry and concessionary travel (England) (BUS05) |url= https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/bus05-subsidies-and-concessions |access-date=26 March 2021 |website=GOV.UK |type=BUS0501: Operating revenue for local bus services by revenue type, by metropolitan area status: England (ODS, 34.7KB)}}</ref> London has one of the largest wheelchair-accessible networks in the world<ref name="london_131">{{Cite web |date=20 June 2017 |title=Most Accessible Cities Around The World |url= https://www.sunrisemedical.com.au/blog/world-accessible-cities |access-date=26 March 2021 |website=Sunrise Medical}}</ref> and from the third quarter of 2007, became more accessible to hearing and visually impaired passengers as audio-visual announcements were introduced.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2016 |title=Leading the way – Travelling with a sensory impairment in London |url= https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/leading_the_way_march_2016.pdf |access-date=26 March 2021 |publisher=[[Greater London Authority]]}}</ref> An emblem of London, the red [[double-decker bus]] first appeared in the city in 1947 with the [[AEC Regent III RT]] (predecessor to the [[AEC Routemaster]]).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Blake |first1=Jim |title=London Transport Buses in the 1960s |date=2022 |publisher=Pen & Sword Books |page=9}}</ref> London's coach hub is [[Victoria Coach Station]], opened in 1932. Nationalised in 1970 and then purchased by London Transport (now [[Transport for London]]), Victoria Coach Station has over 14 million passengers a year and provides services across the UK and continental Europe.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Victoria Coach Station to remain major coach hub |url= https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2019/august/victoria-coach-station-to-remain-major-coach-hub |date=23 August 2019 |access-date=11 June 2022 |publisher= Transport for London}}</ref> London has a modern tram network, known as [[Tramlink]]. It has 39 stops and four routes, and carried 28 million people in 2013.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Tram-endous boost for travellers |publisher= Transport for London |url= https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/news-articles/tram-endous-boost-for-travellers |access-date=26 March 2021 |date=4 April 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160513142204/https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/news-articles/tram-endous-boost-for-travellers |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 May 2016}}</ref> Since June 2008, Transport for London has completely owned and operated Tramlink.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 June 2008 |title=Statement of Accounts for the Year Ended 31 March 2008 |url= https://content.tfl.gov.uk/6-Statement-of-Acounts-2008.pdf |access-date=26 March 2021 |publisher= Transport for London |page=67}}</ref> ===Cable car=== London's first and to date only cable car is the [[London Cable Car]], which opened in June 2012. The cable car crosses the Thames and links [[Greenwich Peninsula]] with the [[Royal Docks]] in the east of the city. It is able to carry up to 2,500 passengers per hour in each direction at peak times.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18619936 |work=BBC News |title=Thames cable car opens for passengers|date=28 June 2012|access-date=2 July 2023}}</ref> ===Cycling=== {{main|Cycling in London}} [[File:Belgrave Road, Victoria, London - Boris Bikes - Santander Cycles by Elliott Brown.jpg|thumb|Santander Cycle Hire, near [[Victoria, London|Victoria]] in Central London]] In the Greater London Area, around 670,000 people use a bike every day,<ref>{{Cite web |year=2016 |title=Travel in London Report 9 |url=http://content.tfl.gov.uk/travel-in-london-report-9.pdf |access-date=25 March 2021 |website=[[Transport for London]] |page=143}}</ref> meaning around 7% of the total population of around 8.8 million use a bike on an average day.<ref>{{Cite web |title=United Kingdom: Greater London: Boroughs – Population Statistics, Charts and Map |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/greaterlondon/ |access-date=25 March 2021 |website=citypopulation.de}}</ref> Cycling has become an increasingly popular way to get around London. The launch of a [[Bicycle-sharing system|bicycle hire scheme]] in July 2010 was successful and generally well received.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2016 |title=Travel in London Report 9 |url=http://content.tfl.gov.uk/travel-in-london-report-9.pdf |access-date=25 March 2021 |website=Travel in London |pages=146–147}}</ref> ===Port and river boats=== The [[Port of London]], once the largest in the world, is now only the second-largest in the United Kingdom, handling 45 million tonnes of cargo each year as of 2009.<ref name="handling">{{Cite web |date=10 June 2010 |title=Provisional Port Statistics 2009 |url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/maritime/ports/provportstats2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110203090417/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/maritime/ports/provportstats2009 |archive-date=3 February 2011 |access-date=26 April 2011 |website=[[Department for Transport]] }}</ref> Most of this cargo passes through the [[Port of Tilbury]], outside the boundary of Greater London.<ref name="handling"/> London has river boat services on the Thames known as [[Thames Clippers]], which offer both commuter and tourist boat services.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Steves |first=Rick|title=Rick Steves England |date=17 March 2020 |publisher=Avalon Publishing |isbn=978-1-64171-237-8 |language=en}}</ref> At major piers including [[Canary Wharf Pier|Canary Wharf]], [[London Bridge City Pier|London Bridge City]], [[Battersea Power Station]] and [[London Eye Pier|London Eye]] (Waterloo), services depart at least every 20 minutes during commuter times.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2021 |title=Commute Through London – Uber Boat by Thames Clippers |url=https://www.thamesclippers.com/commuters/commute-by-river |access-date=26 March 2021 |website=thamesclippers.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> The [[Woolwich Ferry]], with 2.5 million passengers every year, is a frequent service linking the [[North Circular Road, London|North]] and [[South Circular Road, London|South Circular]] Roads.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 April 2013 |title=Woolwich Ferries celebrate 50 years of service |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/27762.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922034512/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/27762.aspx |archive-date=22 September 2013 |access-date=26 March 2021 |website=[[Transport of London]]}}</ref> ===Roads=== Although the majority of journeys in central London are made by public transport, car travel is common in the suburbs. The [[London Inner Ring Road|inner ring road]] (around the city centre), the [[A406 road|North]] and [[A205 road|South Circular]] roads (just within the suburbs), and the outer orbital motorway (the [[M25 motorway|M25]], just outside the built-up area in most places) encircle the city and are intersected by a number of busy radial routes—but very few motorways penetrate into [[inner London]]. The M25 is the second-longest ring-road motorway in Europe at {{convert|117|mi|adj=off}} long.<ref>{{Cite web |publisher=Highways Agency |date=25 June 2018 |url=http://www.highways.gov.uk/our-road-network/our-network/key-roads/m25/ |access-date=25 June 2018 |title=M25 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180626030215/http://www.highways.gov.uk/our-road-network/our-network/key-roads/m25/ |archive-date= 26 June 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[A1 road (Great Britain)|A1]] and [[M1 motorway|M1]] connect London to [[Leeds]], and [[Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle]] and [[Edinburgh]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/roadlists/f99/1.shtml|title=SABRE - Road Lists - The First 99 - A1|website=Sabre-roads.org.uk|access-date=14 June 2023|archive-date=15 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115121242/https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/roadlists/f99/1.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[File:Black London Cab.jpg|thumb|right|The [[hackney carriage]] (black cab) is a common sight on London streets. Although traditionally black, this is not a requirement with some painted in other colours or bearing advertising.]] The [[Austin Motor Company]] began making [[hackney carriage]]s (London taxis) in 1929, and models include [[Austin FX3]] from 1948, [[Austin FX4]] from 1958, with more recent models [[TXII]] and [[TX4]] manufactured by [[London Taxis International]]. The BBC states, "ubiquitous black cabs and red double-decker buses all have long and tangled stories that are deeply embedded in London's traditions".<ref name="London traditions"/> London is notorious for its traffic congestion; in 2009, the average speed of a car in the rush hour was recorded at {{convert|10.6|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Mulholland |first1=Hélène |title=Boris Johnson mulls 'intelligent' congestion charge system for London |url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/mar/16/boris-johnson-congestion-charge |work=The Guardian |location= London |date=16 March 2009}}</ref> In 2003, a [[London congestion charge|congestion charge]] was introduced to reduce traffic volumes in the city centre. With a few exceptions, motorists are required to pay to drive within a defined zone encompassing much of central London.<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://theconversation.com/london-congestion-charge-what-worked-what-didnt-what-next-92478 |title=London congestion charge: what worked, what didn't, what next |last=Badstuber |first=Nicole |website=The Conversation |date=2 March 2018 |access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref> Motorists who are residents of the defined zone can buy a greatly reduced season pass.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/congestion/ |title=Central London Congestion Charging, England |website=Verdict Traffic |access-date=28 April 2020}}</ref> Over the course of several years, the average number of cars entering the centre of London on a weekday was reduced from 195,000 to 125,000.<ref>Table 3 in Santos, Georgina; Button, Kenneth; Noll, Roger G. "London Congestion Charging/Comments." Brookings-Wharton Papers on Urban Affairs.15287084 (2008): 177,177–234.</ref> [[Low Traffic Neighbourhood|Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN)]] were widely introduced in London, but in 2023 the Department for Transport stopped funding them, even though the benefits outweighed the costs by approximately 100 times in the first 20 years and the difference is growing over time.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Peter |title=Health gains of low-traffic schemes up to 100 times greater than costs, study finds |url= https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/mar/08/health-gains-of-low-traffic-schemes-up-to-100-times-greater-than-costs-study-finds |access-date=10 March 2024 |work=The Guardian |location= London |date=8 March 2024}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. 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