( CNN ) It moves millions of people around the British capital every day , acted as a giant air raid shelter during World War II and in more recent times sections of it have been transformed to host hydroponic farms . Now the London Underground is being touted as a stylish new subterranean route for pedestrians and cyclists . London Underline -- which won the award for best conceptual project at the London Planning Awards last week -- proposes transforming disused tube tunnels into a network of underground pathways that will reduce the pressure on the city 's bustling streets . The plans also highlight the possibility of offering excess space up for cultural and retail projects . `` Our concept proposes repurposing underutilized infrastructure to provide quick links between existing tube stations and key London landmarks and destinations , '' said Ian Mulcahey , managing director of Gensler London , the architecture and design firm behind the idea . An artist 's rendering of an underline passageway show hip young things strolling past an underground coffee shop while a happy cyclist gives the thumbs up . In another image , a graffiti artist crouches down to tag an idle wall with her colorful signature . `` Anything is possible , '' Mulcahey continued . `` Our vision for the London Underline relies on infrastructure that 's already in place . We 'd like to bring it back to life . '' In their submission to the LPA competition , Gensler highlighted the green credentials of the project as well as its transportation benefits . Pavegen technology which transforms footsteps into kinetic energy would help power electricity and WiFi networks in the tunnels , the company said . On top of all this , Underline could provide the added benefit of helping to reduce accidents involving cyclists on the road . There were 489 cycle incidents classed as fatal and serious in London 's in 2013 , according to data from Transport For London , the city 's transport authority . However , some critics and cycle groups have branded the project as gimmicky and not a plan that would make cycling more convenient . `` This is something that rears its head every so often , ideas to put cycle pathways underground or in the sky , '' said Rosie Downs of the London Cycling Campaign group . Architect Norman Foster unveiled designs for SkyCycle , a network of elevated bike paths hoisted aloft above railway lines , in early 2014 although little has been heard of the idea since . A spokesperson for TFL also told CNN that even though there are a number of disused stations and tunnels beneath the streets of London there were none of `` significant length that are not already part of our operational railway . '' Downes said she would rather see `` Dutch style '' infrastructure put in place on existing road networks to separate cyclists and heavy traffic . And TFL recently granted permission for two new sections of `` cycle superhighways '' which reserve long stretches of London road for cyclists only . `` The greatest way to encourage cycling is to make it easier for people to plan local trips to the shops or to schools , '' Downes said . `` Obviously if you are proposing underground tunnels , that 's just not going to work , '' as many bike journeys wo n't go anywhere near the subway network , she added . Yet Mulcahey counters that the the Gensler idea is designed to augment existing cycle infrastructure rather than compete with it . Even if the London Underline idea does n't take off , he thinks it could be applied to other cities with large underground networks . `` Commentators from all over the world are reaching out for more information about our proposal , to evaluate it against their own disused infrastructure , '' Mulcahey said . `` What we are saying with the London Underline is that we need to look at all the spaces that currently exist within cities , and ask ourselves : 'Are we using them in the best way that we can ? ' If not , what else could we do ? ''
Disused London underground tunnels proposed as pathways for cyclists and pedestrians . The concept was awarded first prize at the London Planning Awards last week . Cycle and transport counter idea may not be best option to encourage more people to cycle .