Google adds live London Underground updates to Maps

Google London Underground Journey — Commuters can now see live service alerts when they plan their journey using Google Maps Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Google has added real-time London Underground service updates to its Maps tool ahead of what promises to be a testing summer for the city's public transport network.

Anyone planning a journey using either Google Maps or its mobile cousin, Google Transit, will now see live alerts and be presented with alternative routes when their trip is likely to be affected by problems on the Underground.

Commuters can also choose to view detailed service information for all routes passing through any given Underground station.

As well as keeping Londoners abreast of unexpected delays, Google is including details of planned engineering works in the service, making it easier to plan weekend trips.

Millions will descend on London this summer for the Olympic and Paralympic games, and travel chaos has been widely predicted, but Google's new tool should ease pressure on the London Underground.

Londoners have been able to plan journeys using public transport using Google Maps' "Get directions" function since July last year, but until now the data used to provide journey times came from Transport for London (TfL)'s timetables.

This meant that all estimated journey times were calculated using fixed figures, leaving users blind to any delays or line closures affecting their chosen route.

The data processing system used by Google to convert TfL travel information feeds into the format required to display on its Maps tool is provided by UK transport information specialists ITO World.