Birth of the London Overgound

Transport for London (TfL) was founded by the authority of the Greater London Authority Act of 1999 for the express purpose of implementing the Mayor of London’s transport strategy. It was created to facilitate the development and execution of a cohesive, coordinated intermodal policy to overhaul and expand London’s transportation infrastructure and improve interfaces amongst the various systems. Prior to its development, London’s transport network suffered from years of neglect and the inefficiency of disjointed control by competing agencies. The gradual transfer of responsibility to Transport for London for managing transportation services has helped streamline development of transport improvement schemes. The selection of London in 2005 to host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, partly as a result of the city’s commitment to developing its transportation facilities, has increased the urgency to successfully implement the ambitious goals set out in the transport strategy. TfL currently has several divisions of responsibility including the London Underground, London Rail, Docklands Light Rail, Tram, Surface Transport and River Services. The London Rail division of TfL was established in 2003 to improve integration of London’s rail services.