Traditional lighting at King’s Cross St Pancras Tube station has been replaced by 6,000 Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting, the latest of 120 stations across the Tube network similarly being upgraded.

Over 40 per cent of the Tube network now has brighter and more efficient LED Lighting. Installing LED lighting at King’s Cross St Pancras is expected to save 1,400MWh of electricity per year, equivalent to powering 500 homes. Transport for London expects them to save almost 300 tonnes of CO2e and up to £455,000 annually, including reduced maintenance and replacement costs.

Because of the nature of the work, it can only be carried out when stations are closed and power switched off.

By the start of the next decade, Transport for London hopes that all stations will have been converted to LED lighting and help deliver significant savings in CO2e, supporting the Mayor and Transport for London’s work to make London a net-zero city by 2030.

The LED lighting at King’s Cross St Pancras was supplied by Armadillo, an Essex-based LED supplier to the Tube network. Armadillo worked alongside Transport for London engineers to fully understand the requirements for the installation and build a product that exceeded the material safety requirements.

In comparison with the lamps replaced, the new LEDs significantly reduce heat and carbon emissions as have fewer maintenance requirements such as regular replacement and cleaning. They also provide increased light output that assists in enhanced CCTV recognition and platform safety.

Work to convert all stations on London’s Tube network to LED lighting has been ongoing for several years, and by 2023, one-third had already been converted. Chiltern Railways has also converted all stations on its network to LED lighting.

“Decarbonising our operation is key to reducing the impact of public transport on climate change. By upgrading key stations like King’s Cross St Pancras to LED lighting, it not only provides a brighter, more pleasing environment for our customers, but it also helps us reduce costs and carbon emissions. Work to decarbonise our operational buildings helps us run a more energy efficient network, underpinning our commitment to do what we can to ensure our services are the most sustainable way to move around the city. London is helping to lead the way towards achieving net zero and we are committed to doing what we can to ensure our services are the most sustainable way to move around the city.”

Lilli Matson, Chief Safety, Health and Environment Officer at Transport for London