Since 2000, Transport For London (TfL) has managed public transport across London, overseeing services like the London Underground, buses, Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, trams, River Services, and Victoria Coach Station.
Run by the Mayor of London, these crucial services ensure affordable and dependable transportation for Londoners commuting to work, school, college, and beyond, keeping London moving.
Driving London home
In 2018, TfL built flats on its land around Harrow on the Hill station, creating 600 homes and, last year, it announced that similar development is planned around North Harrow Station so, just how much land does TfL own?
You may be surprised to learn that it owns approximately 5700 acres of land in London, with the GLA (Greater London Authority) owning just 1576 acres – much of which is not developable – for example, 250 acres at the Royal Docks which cannot be developed due to dock bed water issues.
The business end of TFL’s property
We’ve mentioned that TfL is able to use some of its land to build residential homes but it also owns a significant amount of commercial property including 1000 retail units and 800 railway arches. Additionally, it does of course also own a number of buildings from which it operates its transport services such as stations, depots and even roads.
On the move
As we’ve mentioned, TFL’s property portfolio includes bus stations and depots, including Harrow Bus Station. With the cost of living soaring and the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) extended, more and more Harrovians are turning to public transport as they can simply not afford to run their cars.
Because of this, TfL announced last year that Harrow Bus Station is rapidly reaching maximum capacity – leading to speculation that TfL may be on the lookout for a new site in the near future.
Driving London to work
While it may seem that TfL owns an extraordinary amount of property In London, it’s worth noting that our transport system serves around five million passengers each and every day, without which our city would grind to a halt. Equally important is the fact that TfL employs around 28,000 people, making it one of London’s largest employers.
Nicci, born in Cumbria in 1971, moved to London at 17 to work for Mute Records. She has a diverse career spanning design, copywriting, and PR. Nicci is an author, freelance copywriter, and PR professional, with her own agency, Front Page Promotions. She covers historical stories for Harrow Online and has authored several books. She currently resides in Harrow, North West London
