Having lived in London all my life and used the 'tube' as the London Underground system is known by, for the past 14 years to commute into London, I feel I have a valid opinion on this transport system.

Firstly its faults. And the biggest one of all is overcrowding. I used the Victoria Line mainly and if I get a seat during the morning rush hour, then it cold day in hell.

The smell of sweaty people rubbing up against you on an overcrowded tube train that has stopped for ten minutes for an unexplained reason is not every body's idea of heaven! Overcrowding, its a fact of life that you get used to but that doesnt mean it has to be that way. Investment is needed and maybe with the new London Mayor etc. the underground system will get it.

Following on then from overcrowding is the certain knowldge that i am paying an exhorbitant price to travel in this luxury. The capital's underground fares are simply expsensive and are not justified. Nor are above inflation increases each year.

But yet, being a londoner, I love our tube system. It may not be the envy of the world anymore but it's one of the most diverse and one of the biggest.

Where else can you travel from the leafy vilages of Amersham and Chesham in Buckinghamshire to the nightmare and squalidness of stations like Bethnal Green or Goodge Street.

There are also some great stations too, the new Jubilee line stations in the east are spacious and well lit Leicester Square station with its colourful murals, Baker Street with its 1860's feel.

The many and varied intercganges are now well signposted following major investment in this area. The trains run early to late. And looking out for the disused and old stations on the lines... look for Denver Street on the Piccadily Line between Piccadilly and Green Park is a great game!!

A mixed opinion really. Its a great infrastructure crying out for investment. Lets hope when my sea
son ticket goes up in January that the balance of that inflation busting rise goes towards improving it.