New London Underground map shows how different Tube could be if 1 major issue was fixed

A new London Underground map flips the usual one on its head, imagining what the Tube system would look like if one major issue were fixed. It looks totally different from the normal one, which is top-heavy, with hundreds of stations on the north of the river.

It might confuse Tube users, but the new map shows what it would look like if South London were as well served by the Tube as the north. While over 250 stations are located north of the river, a mere 33 serve the South, including the two newest, which opened in 2021 as part of the Northern Line Extension. However, Colour Country created a map reimagining the extent of the Undergroundif the north-south bias were reversed. The revamped map stretches south through Bromley and then into Kent, with Tunbridge Wells, West Malling, Sevenoaks and Dartford all getting stations. Large swathes of London are simply bypassed by the Underground, with the Northern line being one that makes the most significant inroads into the south. The Victoria, Jubilee and Bakerloo lines also have a relative presence. South London was not taken seriously, and many places, such as Croydon or Clapham, which are now heavily populated areas, were essentially rural. Essentially, growth and demand all occurred in the north and so that's where stations were needed.

Another reason Tube stations flourished in the north was due to the large railway stations built there in the 1800s, including King's Cross, Paddington, Euston and St Pancras.

These stations were the end of the line for many commuters due to a Royal Commission in 1846, which did not allow trains to advance fully into the City of London.

With roads in London becoming increasingly congested, alternative means of transportation for people to move between the City and the stations needed to be found. Hence, the birth of the Underground.

The ground conditions in the south also played a significant role, with the clay soil in the north being ideal for early Tube tunnel digging, while the harder ground in the south was less accommodating.

In 2017, Croydon Council was keen for the Tube to be extended from Lewisham to Elmers End and then East Croydon. However, a report stated that any Underground route utilising existing rail connections would result in a slower service with fewer trains than National Rail services currently provide.

It added that a tunnelled route would have a "significant adverse impact on the built and natural environment" because of a lack of suitable areas for construction and tunnelling works.

Despite having fewer Tube stations, South London boasts an extensive National Rail network. In the 19th century, whilst major train companies were flourishing in London, smaller private firms were industriously constructing a complex rail system in the south.

By the time the Underground had entrenched itself around the City of London and started to extend southwards, they discovered they were already behind the curve.