22.08.16
Over 50,000 Londoners enjoy Night Tube launch
London’s new Night Tube completed its first weekend of services successfully, with over 50,000 passengers taking advantage of the launch.
The service, which will offer six trains an hour between 00.30am and 05.30am, opened on Friday on the Victoria and Central lines.
At Oxford Circus alone, 6,500 passengers tapped in, whilst 4,250 tapped out at Stratford station.
London mayor Sadiq Khan, who rode the first Victoria Line service, said: “It's wonderful that so many thousands of Londoners were able to benefit from a faster and simpler journey home overnight.
“The Night Tube is going to provide a huge boost to our capital and very clearly demonstrates that London is open. It was a real pleasure for me to see first-hand how workers and those who had been out enjoying everything our city has to offer could take advantage of this fantastic new service.”
Khan has also promised to invest an additional £3.4m in providing extra police for the service.
The Night Tube was due to start running last year, but was delayed after London Underground failed to reach an agreement with drivers’ unions over pay, leading to strikes.
The service will now be introduced on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines over the autumn.
Transport for London said it will cut journey times by 20 minutes, boost London’s night-time economy by £77m a year and create 500 jobs across the service, including 300 driver positions.
Mark Wild, London Underground's managing director, said: "Night Tube got off to a superb start last night with thousands of people making use of the new services. I was out on the network myself last night seeing our staff and British Transport Police officers helping customers travel around the Capital safely."
(Image c. Yui Mok from PA Wire/Press Association Images)
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