The Night Tube is back: London underground will run overnight on Fridays and Saturdays from end of November on Central and Victoria lines

• Thousands of people signed petitions to resume Night Tube services in London
• The Night Tube was halted during the pandemic due to Covid-19 restrictions 
• TfL said leisure travel use of the tube network is approaching pre-Covid levels
• The first Central and Victoria line services will resume on Saturday, November 27

London Underground’s Night Tube will resume next month after being suspended in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Transport for London (TfL) said services on the Central and Victoria lines will run through the night on Fridays and Saturdays from Saturday November 27.

Tens of thousands of people signed a petition calling for the Night Tube to resume to help protect women and girls.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: ‘The reason why I was so keen to be the first mayor in London’s history to start the Night Tube in 2016, and to restart it now, after the Covid pause, is because I know how important this is to London’s thriving night-time economy, to London’s recovery and to the confidence and safety of everyone travelling home at night, particularly women and girls.

The Night Tube is returning to service from the end of November with trains running on Friday and Saturday on the Victoria and Central Lines 

Services will resume on the Victoria and Central Lines from November 27 operating on Friday and Saturday nights 

‘I am determined to make our city as safe as possible for all Londoners.

‘That’s why I’m delighted to see the return of the Victoria and Central Night Tube lines next month, which will make a huge difference to people travelling around our city at night and making their way home, offering them an additional safe, reliable transport option.

‘I will continue to work with TfL and the Government to do everything we can to bring back the full Night Tube network as soon as possible.’

The Night Tube will start running again next month, Transport for London has announced.

Services on the Central and Victoria lines will run throughout the night on Fridays and Saturdays from November 27.

The service has been suspended since March 2020 due to the pandemic, and tens of thousands of people have signed a petition calling for it to resume to help protect women and girls.

The Central and Victoria lines were the two busiest lines during the original night tube service. 

According to TfL they are running as many services as possible ‘while seeking to secure the long-term, sustainable Government funding needed to go on supporting London’s economy.    

TfL said: ‘The Night Tube offers a safe, low crime environment. More than 2,500 police and police community support officers and 500 TfL enforcement officers patrol London’s transport network, while thousands of frontline transport staff support customers and an extensive CCTV network is in place across the Tube.’

Off-peak leisure travel has recovered from the pandemic more quickly than other types of journey.  

Night Tube services are expected to resume on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines as soon as they have trained enough drivers and completed engineering and operational works.  

Night Czar for London, Amy Lamé, said: ‘I’ve been working closely with TfL and the industry to bring the Night Tube back as soon as possible, and its return will be hugely welcome news to the capital’s night-time businesses which have been hit so hard by the pandemic. 

‘It’s fantastic to see London getting its buzz back, and the Night Tube offers a safe, quick way to travel across the city at night, whether you’re out enjoying the capital’s world-leading culture and hospitality, or one of the 1.6 million people that regularly work at night making your way home. I look forward to seeing the Victoria and Central lines back in action next month, with the rest of the Night Tube to follow.’ 

Ros Morgan, Chief Executive, Heart of London Business Alliance, said: ‘London’s night-time economy plays a vital role in promoting London as a global destination and should be celebrated. 

‘We support TfL’s objectives to keep service levels running at pre-pandemic levels and look forward to the full reopening of the Night Tube which will ensure that people will be incentivised to support London’s night-time economy businesses.’ 

Conservative London Assembly Member criticised today’s announcement claiming reopening two lines was not good enough. 

She said: ‘I’ve witnessed, heard stories, and experienced inappropriate sexual behaviour at night on London’s streets, in taxis and at bus stops. Sadly, a lot of women have.

‘While most bus journeys are uneventful and the vast majority of taxi drivers are lovely and professional, it’s easy to see why many women and girls want a better-lit transport option at night.

‘The Night Tube provides not only a safe route home but a safe haven for women and girls at night. And it’s essential for shift workers and the vulnerable. Yet, it’s closed. You say one or two lines will open before Christmas, but that isn’t good enough.

‘Over 125,000 Londoners have asked you to reopen the Night Tube. When will you listen to them and open all five lines?” The Mayor published his 50-page Spending Review submission this morning, which failed to mention the Night Tube despite him saying more government funding was needed to reopen the Night Tube fully.’

Ms Best added: ‘It’s beggars belief that the Mayor will blame government funding only to not ask for cash to reopen the Night Tube in his wish list. I would urge the Mayor to listen to women and girls across London and make reopening the service his priority.’

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