Free New Year's Eve travel

The underground will run until 4.30am

A free all-night transport service will run in London on New Year's Eve, mayor Ken Livingstone has announced.

London Underground, buses and trams will be free from midnight and many train services will operate to help those celebrating the arrival of 2004 get home.

But Mr Livingstone could not confirm details of how much it would cost or who would pay for it, and said he was looking for sponsorship.

"We estimate about 400,000 people being in central London and that is the capacity to try and get home in a couple of hours."

Services will end on the Tube at 0430 GMT and at 0500 GMT on the trains.

The only thing to do in Trafalgar Square on New Year's Eve will be to get cold and wet London mayor Ken Livingstone

Mr Livingstone would not elaborate on whether there are any official plans to celebrate this year's New Year's Eve.

The celebration could be part of a showcase for London as it competes to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

Critics have complained that one of the world's most high-profile cities has had no New Year's Eve celebrations for three years.

Last year New York, Sydney and Paris staged firework spectaculars and giant parties.

Trafalgar Square, which was closed last year because of road works, could be the focal point for tens of thousands of revellers.

But Mr Livingstone made it clear the area would not be the venue for any official event.

"The only thing to do in Trafalgar Square will be to get cold and wet," he said.