The booze ban on the capital's transport network has been slammed as an unenforceable "half-baked gimmick designed solely as a publicity stunt".

To test this theory the Times sent me on the London Underground network to see what would happen if I drank openly as I made my way around the Tube stations in Richmond upon Thames and Hounslow.

The rules were simple. I was only to drink while on the network and was to make no effort to hide what I was doing.

To be as indiscreet as possible I bought three large bottles.

I would stop whenever I was told to by police or underground workers and my journey would come to an end.

It was not big or clever but it was certainly enlightening.

advertisementThe trip started last Thursday about 9pm at Richmond station and the plan was to go to Heathrow and back.

Armed with a bag of beer I set off. But given how high-profile London Mayor Boris Johnson's ban had been since it was introduced on June 1, and how much criticism it had attracted, I thought it would be a short journey.

I made the round-trip, which took almost three hours on the District and Piccadilly lines, without any confrontation from police or Tube staff and met two other drinkers who both thought the ban was folly.

One, a 48-year-old from Hounslow, said the ban was pointless, did nothing to stop drunkenness on the Tube and was a waste of rail staff's time.

I passed at least five members of staff, none of whom approached me or asked me to stop.

It all left me thinking: If nothing was done to stop an individual openly flouting the ban, what effect will they have on the groups of yobs that are supposedly simultaneously drinking openly while terrorising our Tube network? - never mind the clever ones who hide their alcohol in bottles of fizzy drinks.

Tranpsort for London's response Transport for London spokesman Sophie Kirkham said: "We have amended the Conditions of Carriage so customers are not allowed to travel on our network and drink or carry an open container of alcohol on the Tube.

"If a member of our staff asks a person to comply with the ban and they refuse, we will ask them to leave. If, again, that person refuses, we will seek the support of the police to remove that person. There are no fines or other penalties at this stage."

Boris Johnson failed to get back to us with a comment on our investigation.