Some people compared the lack of interest, especially by London Mayor Boris Johnson, to the sensitivity such commemorations receive in the United States, especially New York.

More than 50 people died in London on July 7, 2005, when four bombs on public transport systems exploded during the morning rush hour.

The most dramatic suicide attack was on a packed double-decker bus in which the bomb killed 13 people and ripped the top off the vehicle.

Many survivors of the blasts attended this year's unofficial ceremony in London's central Hyde Park. Flowers and wreaths were laid by the memorial of 52 pillars -- one for each victim.

Wreaths with signed notes were laid on behalf of Prime Minister David Cameron and the mayor.

The stainless steel pillars, more than 11-feet tall, are grouped in four clusters, representing the four explosions. People can wander around the pillars, which the architect said symbolize the random nature of the loss of life and how it could have been anyone at that particular spot on that day.

Each pillar is inscribed with the date, time and location of all four terrorist attacks. A plaque inscribed with the names of all the victims is laid in the grass nearby the pillars.

This year's event was in stark contrast to last year's unveiling of the memorial. In attendance were Prince Charles as well as Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the government's Minister for London Tessa Jowell. Charles said the date of the bombings "would be etched vividly on all our minds as a brutal intrusion into the lives of thousands of people."

They laid wreaths while British saxophonist and composer Christian Forshaw, accompanied by a string quartet and a percussionist, played his piece "Remembrance" specially commissioned for the ceremony.

But this year, Graham Foulkes, who lost his 22-year-old son in the 2005 attacks, said it was "really disappointing" that the politicians didn't attend.

"I don't think any of us are saying we want this to become an annual major event," he said. "But I think on the fifth anniversary the least the prime minister could do is attend and lay a wreath."

Foulkes singled out Johnson for criticism.

"The mindset of New Yorkers and the authorities in New York is completely different to here. Here we are at a significant anniversary and even the mayor can't be bothered to attend," he said.

One survivor, who lost part of her leg said the government showed a lack of interest.

Thelma Stober said, "We asked the Department for Culture, Media and Sport what they were going to do for the fifth anniversary and they said they were not prepared to do anything because there will be plenty of anniversaries."

The DCMS, which is responsible for organizing 7/7 memorials, said families of the victims had requested no formal ceremony this year, "their view being that the opening of the permanent memorial by the Prince of Wales last year was the appropriate way to finish that stage of their grieving."

The mayor's office said Johnson took the advice of the DCMS not to officially mark the occasion. But in a message to staff at the city's Greater London Authority, Johnson said he was grateful to those who kept the capital moving on that day.

At this year's ceremony was the secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, Farooq Murad, who paid his respects on behalf of Britain's Muslim community.

Other Muslim groups sent letters of condolence, deploring the attacks by the four British Muslim men, aged between 30 and 18.

In the north of England, by an unmarked grave in the city of Leeds, another father mourned the loss of his son that day: Hasib Hussain, 18, blew himself up as well as 13 other passengers on the No. 30 bus in London's Tavistock Square.

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