History
The London Underground is not only the oldest, it is also one of the largest metro systems in the world. The first three stations were built as early as 1863. After that, the system has gradually expanded. By about 1910, the biggest part of the central area and inner suburban network were completed. At this moment, the London Underground covers 9 lines, 271 stations, 436.5 kilometres of track, and more than 4,000 vehicles. The average ridership is 2.5 million passengers a day.

Because of the piecemeal development of the metro system, the Underground is highly diverse in terms of station layouts, means of access, age and condition. The older parts were not designed with crime prevention in mind and contain many inconvenient interchanges, long passageways, and "blind corners". The variety of design, age, and usage makes it harder to find crime prevention measures which can be used on a general basis.

Source: López, M.J.J., Crime Prevention Guidelines for the Construction & Management of Metro Systems, Den Haag: RCM-advies 1996, pg. 15-18.

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