A new London Underground map has been launched to help passengers suffering from claustrophobia or anxiety.

The new design highlights routes commuters can take to avoid long stretches of tunnels, which mental health charities say cause some sufferers to avoid travelling on the Tube.

Fifty-five per cent of the network is above ground, with only the Victoria and Waterloo & City lines wholly covered.

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Nicky Lidbetter, chief executive of charity Anxiety UK, said: "For those with anxiety conditions such as panic attacks and claustrophobia, we know that travel by the Underground can be problematic and challenging.

"This new map is an excellent resource for those wishing to avoid journeys where there are tunnels, serving as a great pre-journey planning aid and increasing access to public transport.

"I sincerely hope that the map will encourage those with claustrophobia and/or panic attacks who have previously avoided this form of public transport out of fear to reconsider their use of the Tube."

About 10 per cent of people in the UK sometimes suffer claustrophobia, according to the NHS.

Shape Created with Sketch. Gallery: 150 years of London underground Show all 27 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Gallery: 150 years of London underground 1/27 tube8.jpg Passengers on the London Underground in 1955 PA 2/27 Untitled-1.jpg The London Tube is celebrating its 150th anniversary Getty Images 3/27 tube18.jpg World War II, 25th, September, 1940, Members of the public huddle together in a London underground station Getty Images 4/27 tube17.jpg Queen Elizabeth II travels on a tube train after the official opening ceremony of London Underground's Victoria Line in 1969 Getty Images 5/27 tube5.jpg A London Transport official showing the Prince of Wales the controls in the driver's car of a Jubilee Line train in 1979 PA 6/27 tube12.jpg Emergency services at Chancery Lane Underground Station in London after a tube train derailed in 2003 PA 7/27 tube1.jpg In this file picture taken on September 4, 2007 passengers jostle to enter the Underground station at Waterloo Station in central London, as commuters battled with severe transport disruption to get to work as unions staged a second day of strikes on the capital's underground system AFP 8/27 tube14.jpg Mayor of London Boris Johnson at the opening of the ticket hall at King's Cross St Pancras Station PA 9/27 tube3.jpg Londoners take shelter in the London Underground during the Blitz PA 10/27 tube4.jpg David Cameron travelling by tube on the Underground to the O2 Arena in London PA 11/27 tube9.jpg Lord Ashfield handing over the silver key to Col. Moore Brabazon during the opening of the Northern line, London in 1926 PA 12/27 tube13.jpg Two 'buskers' entertain travellers by playing musical instruments on the London Underground in central London AFP 13/27 tube2.jpg London resident Jean Farrow, 36, one of the first directly recruited female drivers sitting at the front of a tube train at Hammersmith station PA 14/27 tube7.jpg An underground train heads into Central London on the Piccadilly Line on day of winter AFP 15/27 tube11.jpg Torchbearer and London Underground employee John Light carrying the Olympic Flame onto an underground train at Wimbledon Station, London PA 16/27 tube10.jpg The fire-damaged escalators at King's Cross underground station in London in 1987 PA 17/27 tube19.jpg London Underground workers building the Piccadilly Line extension at Turnpike Lane in 1930 Getty Images 18/27 141007280.jpg Marble Arch Tube Station Getty Images 19/27 141007351.jpg A commuter at Westminster Getty Images 20/27 141007639.jpg Victorian tile signs have been updated with more modern ones in some stations Getty Images 21/27 143711297.jpg London Mayor Boris Johnson travelling on the Tube Getty Images 22/27 149562350.jpg Bank station during the London 2012 Olympics GettyImages 23/27 155708342.jpg Oyster cards were introduced on the Tube in 2003 Getty Images 24/27 155708347.jpg The entrance to Westminster Underground with Big Ben in the background Getty Images 25/27 158719828 (1).jpg Shoppers keen to catch the Boxing Day sale queue outside Bond Street for the Tube station to open early AM Getty Images 26/27 140839627.jpg The Tube's famously dirt-covering patterned seat fabric Getty Images 27/27 140839693.jpg A woman at Oxford Circus station Getty Images 1/27 tube8.jpg Passengers on the London Underground in 1955 PA 2/27 Untitled-1.jpg The London Tube is celebrating its 150th anniversary Getty Images 3/27 tube18.jpg World War II, 25th, September, 1940, Members of the public huddle together in a London underground station Getty Images 4/27 tube17.jpg Queen Elizabeth II travels on a tube train after the official opening ceremony of London Underground's Victoria Line in 1969 Getty Images 5/27 tube5.jpg A London Transport official showing the Prince of Wales the controls in the driver's car of a Jubilee Line train in 1979 PA 6/27 tube12.jpg Emergency services at Chancery Lane Underground Station in London after a tube train derailed in 2003 PA 7/27 tube1.jpg In this file picture taken on September 4, 2007 passengers jostle to enter the Underground station at Waterloo Station in central London, as commuters battled with severe transport disruption to get to work as unions staged a second day of strikes on the capital's underground system AFP 8/27 tube14.jpg Mayor of London Boris Johnson at the opening of the ticket hall at King's Cross St Pancras Station PA 9/27 tube3.jpg Londoners take shelter in the London Underground during the Blitz PA 10/27 tube4.jpg David Cameron travelling by tube on the Underground to the O2 Arena in London PA 11/27 tube9.jpg Lord Ashfield handing over the silver key to Col. Moore Brabazon during the opening of the Northern line, London in 1926 PA 12/27 tube13.jpg Two 'buskers' entertain travellers by playing musical instruments on the London Underground in central London AFP 13/27 tube2.jpg London resident Jean Farrow, 36, one of the first directly recruited female drivers sitting at the front of a tube train at Hammersmith station PA 14/27 tube7.jpg An underground train heads into Central London on the Piccadilly Line on day of winter AFP 15/27 tube11.jpg Torchbearer and London Underground employee John Light carrying the Olympic Flame onto an underground train at Wimbledon Station, London PA 16/27 tube10.jpg The fire-damaged escalators at King's Cross underground station in London in 1987 PA 17/27 tube19.jpg London Underground workers building the Piccadilly Line extension at Turnpike Lane in 1930 Getty Images 18/27 141007280.jpg Marble Arch Tube Station Getty Images 19/27 141007351.jpg A commuter at Westminster Getty Images 20/27 141007639.jpg Victorian tile signs have been updated with more modern ones in some stations Getty Images 21/27 143711297.jpg London Mayor Boris Johnson travelling on the Tube Getty Images 22/27 149562350.jpg Bank station during the London 2012 Olympics GettyImages 23/27 155708342.jpg Oyster cards were introduced on the Tube in 2003 Getty Images 24/27 155708347.jpg The entrance to Westminster Underground with Big Ben in the background Getty Images 25/27 158719828 (1).jpg Shoppers keen to catch the Boxing Day sale queue outside Bond Street for the Tube station to open early AM Getty Images 26/27 140839627.jpg The Tube's famously dirt-covering patterned seat fabric Getty Images 27/27 140839693.jpg A woman at Oxford Circus station Getty Images

Transport for London (TfL) director of customer strategy Mark Evers said: "Making the Tube network accessible for everyone is one of our top priorities.

"This new map is just one of the tools we have created in response to feedback from our customers on how we can make the transport network more accessible, making travelling easier and more comfortable for all our customers."

In April TfL announced badges for people with hidden health conditions who needed a seat on trains and buses were to be permanently available.

They follow the popular "baby on board" badges for expectant mothers.

Richard Lane, head of communications at disability charity Scope, said: "It's great to see London Underground taking steps to make travelling easier for more people."

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