09.11.17
Night Tube, one year on
Mark Wild, managing director of London Underground, celebrates the astounding first-year success of the capital’s 24-hour Tube service.
TfL and the capital’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, have hailed the huge success of London Underground’s Night Tube after economic figures and passenger numbers for the first year far exceeded predictions.
Figures released in August this year to mark the service’s one-year anniversary show that the Night Tube has had eight million journeys, boosted London’s economy by £171m in its first year alone and is supporting more than 3,600 jobs.
New research by London First and EY has also predicted that the Night Tube will be even more beneficial to the economy than previously forecast, with latest estimates indicating that over the next 30 years it will add £138m of value to London’s economy every year. This is significantly more than the £77m a year previously forecast.
The Night Tube – which runs on the Victoria, Jubilee and most of the Central, Northern and Piccadilly lines – has proved extremely popular with Londoners and visitors to the capital, exceeding predictions by around 15%. It has helped millions get to work or back home at night quickly, safely and affordably. It has also cut late-night journey times by an average of 20 minutes and, in some cases, by up to an hour.
Even more travellers – and great destinations
Tube demand has soared over recent years. Before the launch of the Night Tube, passenger numbers on Friday and Saturday nights had risen by around 70% since 2000, while demand for travel on night buses had increased by over 170% in the same period. Passenger data showed that more than 50% of people using night buses were going to or returning from work – many of whom are now benefitting directly from the Night Tube.
The 24-hour service has played a massive role in opening up the city to a host of opportunities and supporting its nightlife, from the bars and restaurants in Soho, to the arts and culture in the West End, to sport and music venues such as Wembley Stadium and the O2. Unsurprisingly, some of the most popular Night Tube stations with late-night travellers have been central London destinations like Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road, as well as Brixton, Liverpool Street and Stratford.
Future plans
Later this year there will be even more weekend 24-hour services when London Overground night services start operating along the East London route between New Cross Gate and Dalston Junction in December. It will then be extended to Highbury & Islington next year. In the future, the Night Tube will be extended to parts of the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines once the modernisation of their signalling system is completed in 2023.
All stations are fully staffed throughout the night, and TfL is spending an extra £3.4m to ensure that the British Transport Police is patrolling the Night Tube, with over 100 officers out at any given time. These police officers provide a high-visibility presence, giving reassurance that we care about every journey our passengers make, keeping our staff safe and addressing issues such as antisocial behaviour.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
W: tfl.gov.uk