The London Underground network could be revolutionised by the introduction of horizontal lifts.

Thyssenkrupp Elevator, a German firm, has already started testing the technology in various locations across the world.

It abandons the conventional rope and pulley system used in most traditional lifts, opting instead for a number of motor-powered cabins that can all be fixed into a single shaft and circulate in a continuing loop.

It has been reported that the technology is able to reduce waiting times by around 15 to 30 seconds and can raise the capacity of passengers in a single shaft by around 50%.

Chris Williamson, of Weston Williamson & Partners (architecture firm), explained more about the new lifts at an event that focused on the London Underground system’s future.

He said that if a whole string of the lifts are running underground from a centralised island-type platform then the passengers will be able to alight the train, go straight into the lift and be transported to anywhere they want in the city.

Mr Williamson believes there are great range of new possibilities for the concept, many of which could prove revolutionary for the London transport network.

The new lift technology has been touted as a method of making the tube network more efficient as it currently struggles to deal with the swiftly rising usage of the system caused by the capital’s ever-expanding population.

Thyssenkrupp Elevator’s Chief Executive, Andreas Schierenbeck, said that the firm has already started testing the technology in specifically-built structures.

He said that the company has already constructed a test tower to scale of the system and has been running for six months.

He added that they are building another test tower, also in Germany, in order for the firm to fully test out its equipment and try out new innovative systems such as the horizontal lift concept.