Beat Tube heat ...open doors overnight

An expert on climate and the environment today reveals his answer for stopping the Tube becoming unbearably hot - leave the doors open at night.

Labour peer Julian Hunt, a former chief executive of the Meteorological Office, says this simple measure would allow cool air to circulate and spare passengers severe discomfort during this summer's predicted heatwave.

Lord Hunt says train and lift doors, ventilation shafts and windows should all be opened. "At the moment everything is shut at night after the trains stop running. This means hot air in the tunnels cannot escape."

He believes any safety problems can be overcome.

Lord Hunt, chairman of Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants, which carried out airflow research after the King's Cross Tube fire in 1987, believes his ideas are practical and cheap.

He has met London Underground to discuss his ideas. A spokesman said "Lord Hunt makes some interesting points", and LU wants more discussions.