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It has taken tube strikes, countless talks, back and forth talks between City Hall, residents, Transport for London and unions, but the Night Tube is finally coming to London.

The much awaited launch will begin with the part of the Central line and the entire Victoria line running through the night.

After City Hall announced the demand for night time tube was on the rise, with shift workers and party goers pushing for all night services, the ball began rolling to put sturdy plans into place.

According to the findings, passenger numbers on Friday and Saturday nights up were up by around 70% since 2000 - and the capital needed to take action.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan , said: "The Night Tube is absolutely vital to my plans to support and grow London's night time economy - creating more jobs and opportunities for all Londoners.

"The constant delays under the previous Mayor let Londoners down badly.

"I have made getting the Night Tube up and running a priority."

London’s Transport Commissioner, Mike Brown, added: “It is good news for London that the first ever all-night Tube service will be ready on 19 August.

"More than half a million people use the Tube after 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and the introduction of the Night Tube, which will support London's businesses and jobs, is a historic step in our modernisation of the Underground and our work to support London’s economic growth."

However, it hasn't been an easy ride securing what is the first part of a major phase-in process for the city to have a fully functional night plan round the clock.

The months of lead up to the launch have been littered with disputes and debates.

Here, we take a look at what has led to London going 24/7, what you need to know and how it all happened.

Your KEY questions answered about using the service

When will it be rolled out?

The 24-hour tube is being rolled out on Friday (August 19)


Which lines will have the 24 hour night tube?

From this date onwards, the entire Victoria line and parts of the Central line (Ealing Broadway to/from Loughton/Hainault via Newbury Park) will run throughout the night

A map to show where the London Night Tube will run on August 19 onwards
A map to show where the London Night Tube will run on August 19 onwards

How often will the trains arrive?

On the Central and Victoria lines, they will run every 10 minutes throughout the night

How long is my pass valid until and what is the fare?

Transport for London (TfL) will charge the standard off-peak price for those travelling at night.

Day Travelcards are valid on the day of issue (using the date printed on the card), and for journeys starting before 04:30 the following day.

For example, if you buy a Day Travelcard at 11am on Friday, you can use it until 4:29am on the following Saturday.

Daily capping on Oyster cards and contactless cards also applies.

Will there be any staff around to help with any issues?

All stations will continue to be staffed by London Underground employees while train services are running, just as we do in the day and TfL have said there will always be staff around to assist people travelling.


How could I get home from the station after using the Night Tube?

A list of taxi ranks has been provided by Transport for London so people can find a way home easier after using certain stations.

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How the Night Tube became a reality after three years

Issuing a statement to getwestlondon on the day of the launch, RMT Union General Secretary Mick Cash said:

“RMT supports the introduction of the Night Tube and ever since the idea was first floated our members have fought tirelessly to make sure that it is done properly and that the huge staffing issues it throws up have not been ignored.
“The truth is that it is not politicians and their top officials who will deliver a Night Tube for London it is the cleaners, station staff, drivers, engineers and all the other grades working anti-social hours who will be transforming London into a 24 hour City and they deserve all the praise and the credit.
“RMT will be maintaining a policy of ‘extreme vigilance’ with our reps monitoring issues like safety, security and the impact on staff of running services round the clock.”

The RMT said it is already conscious of a range of problems with the rolling out of the second tranche of Night Tube services
The RMT said it is already conscious of a range of problems with the rolling out of the second tranche of Night Tube services (Image: Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

Mr Cash added: “The union will also continue to resist any attempts to deliver Night Tube on the cheap. Huge logistical challenges in areas like safety, maintenance and engineering will remain under close scrutiny by the union.”
“RMT is also conscious of a range of problems with the rolling out of the second tranche of Night Tube services and it is essential that those issues are dealt with through the negotiating machinery and that procedures aren’t dodged in order to hit arbitrary deadlines.
“Night Tube is a massive step for London at a time of surging demand for transport services. It must not be compromised by under-valuing the staff charged with delivering the service or by the Government cuts that are being lined up for the TfL budget.”

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What major concerns have residents raised?

Various debates have taken place after the Night Tube was agreed, both from residents and between various authorities.

A major concern from residents was identified in March after a after survey revealed 90% of residents already suffering from noise disturbance, WITHOUT the night tube in place.

London Assembly member Murad Qureshi, who raised the question, called for the launch’s delay after hearing the residents speak of pictures shifting on walls, rattling windows and shaking beds.

After a Freedom of Information from The Times showed that there is a four out of five chance risk that “residents who live close to and above tracks are disturbed at night by noise, vibration and ground bourne noise”, something which they felt could even lead to risk of suicide, residents in west London areas such as Marylebone were first to vocalise their worry about how disruptive the services may be to their routine.

However, Kevin Dunning, London Underground’s director of network services, said: “We want to continue being a good neighbour when we introduce the new Night Tube service and have completed a massive programme of preparatory work to fix potential problems before they arise, including completing hundreds of kilometres of rail grinding to make sure the track is in top condition.

“We’re confident residents won’t be disturbed and we’ll of course continue to talk to anyone who has concerns once the service launches.”

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How safe will the Night Tube be for those travelling?

In March, the British Transport Police revealed 12 hotspots along the Night Tube which they identified could see an increase in crime.

The dozen ‘red stations’ listed in a report by the London Assembly’s Police and Crime Committee include Camden Town, London Bridge, North Greenwich, Piccadilly Circus,Victoria , Charing Cross, Hammersmith, Vauxhall, Brixton, Waterloo, Leicester Square and Oxford Circus.

Following the report, senior ASLEF (Britain’s largest trade union for transport) health & safety reps demanded an urgent review of the risk assessments to ensure the service is safe for passengers and staff alike.

However, Transport for London said ahead of the launch: “There will be an enhanced policing presence during the overnight services.

“The British Transport Police (BTP) will provide more than 100 officers to patrol the 144 stations that will be open throughout the night each weekend when the Night Tube services begin.

“More BTP Police Community Support Officers will also be out on the network to assist passengers, and support police officers, as required.”

Night Tube: How will safety be monitored?

Barnardo’s chief executive, Javed Khan, said vulnerable people must keep their wits about them in order to ensure they aren’t targeted.

He told getwestlondon: “As London’s tube starts running a 24-hour service, Barnardo’s is urging night-time workers to keep a look out for vulnerable young people.

“We know that perpetrators target young people in bars, clubs and taxi ranks so we want night-time workers to stay vigilant and have the confidence to report signs of sexual exploitation and abuse.

“Barnardo’s has just trained thousands of night-time workers, including dozens of Transport for London workers to play a more active role in protecting young people from exploitation and abuse at night time.

“We would urge anyone with concerns about children being exploited or abused to call children’s social services, the police, or 999 if a child is in immediate danger.”



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