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A curious thing happened here in London last week – the River Thames disappeared.

Transport for London (TfL) planners wanted to make the underground (subway) map less cluttered and more simple, so they distributed new versions of it without the stylised Old Father Thames and the fare zone grid that helps you decide what sort of ticket you need.

That was the cue for what was described as ‘an overwhelming public reaction’. At the head of the queue of complainants was London’s Mayor, Boris Johnson. He was said to have ‘hit the roof’ after arriving back from New York. He messaged his Twitter followers: “Can’t believe that the Thames disappeared off the tube map whilst I was out the country! It will be reinstated …”

And, guess what? A TfL spokesman said: “The overwhelming public reaction is that the tube and Thames should be reunited, so that’s exactly what we will do.” They were also looking again at zonal information, he said.

The tube map was drawn up in the 1930s by Harry Beck, an engineering draughtsman. His plan, based on an electrical circuit, has since been hailed as a design classic.

by Andy Moreton

The tube is just one of the delights awaiting you in London. Luxique’s Top Destination guide will help you get the best from your visit and we have a hand- picked selection of the finest luxury hotels in London.

Picture the scene: you’re travelling on London Underground’s Piccadilly line (the dark blue one) towards Heathrow Airport and the driver’s public address system crackles into action.

You’re expecting no more than the standard ‘mind the gap between the train and the platform’, or ‘change here for the Northern line,’ but what you hear is: ‘without music, life would be a mistake’.
Alternatively, it could be ‘to live is to dream’, or ‘beauty will save the world’.

It’s the latest idea to ease the strain of travelling on London’s crowded ‘tube’ system – the thoughts of history’s great philosophers.

Jeremy Deller, who’s compiled the selection of quotes given to drivers, said: “I often wish announcements were more personal and reflected the realities and absurdities of living and working in a big city. I think the travelling public will enjoy some humour and unexpected insight during their journey.”

The quotes above came from Nietzsche, Schiller and Dostoevsky. Another suggestion on a message board is a line from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night: ‘In delay there lies no plenty.’

by Andy Moreton

The tube is just one of the delights awaiting you in London. Luxique’s Top Destination guide will help you get the best from your visit and we have a hand- picked selection of the finest luxury London hotels.

If you’ve ever been in a crowded London underground train in high summer (well, as high as it gets in London!) you’ll know what a stuffy and unpleasant experience it can be.

For years, experts have been trying to find an air-conditioning system that will operate efficiently that far under ground. Now, it seems, the problem’s been solved and soon, riding the Tube will be cool. London’s Mayor, Boris Johnson, unveiled an example of a new train model last week.

The new air-conditioned trains will serve the Underground’s Metropolitan line beginning in 2010 and additional lines after that. They are all expected to be up and running by 2015.

“I can assure passengers who will use them that, rather than arriving at their destinations drenched in perspiration, they will emerge as cool as cucumbers and ready to enjoy all that the capital offers,” said Mr Johnson.

by Andy Moreton

Luxique offers a range of luxury hotels in London - all close to Underground stations - and a London city guide.

Frequent travellers to Europe will be familiar with the traditional trams that provide transport for commuters and tourists alike in many cities.

Some can be a bit basic and give a bumpy ride, but I’ve always found them extremely efficient, punctual and inexpensive. Here in London, trams in the centre of the city were seen to be too old-fashioned, noisy and dangerous and were withdrawn in 1952 to be replaced by buses.

However, transport planners in London have been having a re-think and the idea of a new generation of trams - quieter and more comfortable than their predecessors – seems to have found favour. There’s already a very successful tram system in Croydon, south of London, and other schemes are being looked at, including a north-south cross-river service to provide an alternative to crowded underground journeys. It would run on electricity and produce no Co2 emissions. Other British cities such as Manchester and Nottingham have had tram systems for some time.

Just over a year ago, the Mayor of Paris introduced a sleek, high-tech five-mile tramline through the city centre – the first since 1937 - and there are plans to extend it.

Planners always have to tread carefully, though, as they’re finding out in Florence. Designs for a new tram service in that most beautiful and historic of Italian cities were laid last October, but the idea has caused uproar and outrage with 13,000 residents signing a petition and taking to the streets to protest.

Everyone agrees that the congestion and pollution in Florence need to be drastically reduced, but the protesters fear that the tram’s vibrations will damage historic buildings and squares. Florence city council says state-of-the-art technology will keep those vibrations to a minimum and actually save monuments rather than damage them.

One of the problems is the sheer number of tourists – officials say the annual influx is becoming increasingly unsustainable, with the statue of David being admired by 1.3 million people a year. For more information visit the Florence Luxury Hotel and City Guide from Luxique.

By the way, if you’re a ‘tram fan’ and happen to be in New York, try the Roosevelt Island Tramway, which offers a 4-minute aerial ride from mid-town Manhattan to the island. At its peak, it climbs 250 feet above the East River. You might have seen it in Billy Crystal’s City Slickers or Sylvester Stallone’s Nighthawks.

by Andy Moreton