HomeRail NewsTfL 'would love to take responsibility for more London rail lines'

TfL ‘would love to take responsibility for more London rail lines’

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Transport for London (TfL) has said it would love to take on the responsibility of operating other rail lines in London.

The statement comes as TfL marks 10 years since the London Overground was launched, replacing Silverlink Metro services on November 11, 2007.

Since taking over London Overground has increased the frequency of trains from 400 per day in 2007 to nearly 1,500 per day. Customer numbers have also increased, from 33 million in 2008/09 to 189 million in 2016/17.

TfL’s director of London Rail and sponsored services Jonathan Fox said that record levels of customer satisfaction have made it one of the most popular railways in the country, as well as the third largest rail operator in the UK.


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He added: “We would love to bring the benefits of London Overground to more Londoners by taking on responsibility for other rail lines in London in future.”

In 2007 the original network ran from Stratford to Richmond, Willesden Junction to Clapham Junction, Euston to Watford Junction and Gospel Oak to Barking.

In the past 10 years the network has continued to grow, with three extensions to incorporate extra lines – East London line (2010), South London line (2012) and West Anglia lines (2015).

TfL has a number of improvements scheduled for the London Overground in the coming years, including:

Will Rogers is the managing director of Arrival Rail London, which operates the London Overground on behalf of TfL. He said: “Since 2007 our teams in stations and on trains have worked tirelessly to transform the service for our customers and communities.

“They have played a fundamental role in making the London Overground one of the most popular and reliable railways in the UK.

“As we celebrate 10 successful years, we look forward to delivering further improvements and working closer with the communities we serve.”

As part of the celebrations, TfL has also released an ‘Out and about on the London Overground’ guide, which showcases a range of sights and attractions which are easily reached by the London Overground.

This includes: Crystal Palace Park; The Warner Bros. Studio Tour, near to Watford Junction; and The V & A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green.

Jen Bartle, director of marketing at Rich Mix, East London’s Independent Arts Centre, said: “Rich Mix has benefitted enormously from the London Overground’s East London line extension. It has enabled us to better connect with audiences, creative people and businesses across the capital as well as the local communities that we serve.”

Credit: TfL.
Credit: TfL.

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