Volunteers offer tourist information outside City Hall

The City Hall information point is one of nine locations in London where 630 Team London ambassadors are offering advice to visitors this summer.

"London is set to attract more foreign visitors – almost 19 million – this year than any other city on the planet," said Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

"It is vital they receive a warm welcome and have access to up to date information they need to get the very best out of what our city has to offer.

"From now until the end of August our Team London Ambassadors will be at busy locations around the capital.

"Visitors will be able to count on our volunteers' passion for London, as well as their knowledge, to ensure they have a great time here and want to come back for more."

The volunteers at the Team London 'pod' supplement the three InfoBike cargo tricycles funded by Better Bankside, Team London Bridge and South Bank Employers' Group which last year assisted 50,000 visitors.

Despite its growing popularity as a visitor destination, SE1 has lacked a permanent tourist information centre since Southwark's enquiries desk at Tate Modern was closed in 2008.