Tube platform markings

There are two related stories in the news today regarding the London Underground Tube system. The first in the Evening Standard concerns figures released under the Freedom of Information Act that show that at least one Tube station a week was forced to close last year due to overcrowding.

Stations that tourists and visitors use a lot, Oxford Circus and Victoria, had to be closed five times each while Kings Cross had to shut on nine occasions. That’s a major hub with the Piccadilly, Victoria, Northern, Bakerloo, Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines all passing through there.

Meanwhile BBCNews has a report on TfL(Transport for London) introducing road type yellow markings onto Tube station platforms as in the picture above, in the hope passengers won’t stand in them when a train pulls in and there’s a mad crush for the doors. Fat chance of that when people are standing five deep the length of the platform in rush hour. Running more trains would be most people’s answer but the Mayor and TfL will probably opt for raising fares in the hope of dissuading passengers from from travelling when they need to.