New TfL Map Shows London Overground Routes Under Sadiq Khan's Plans For Devolved Lines

Sadiq Khan has enough of delays and overcrowding - and here's what he's doing about it.
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Transport for London has released a new look travel map showing what the future could look like for commuters who don’t live on the Tube network.

The map features suburban rail routes which - under mayor Sadiq Khan’s plans - would be run by Transport for London as London Overground services.

This would mean an end to journeys with the likes of Southern, South West Trains, Great Northern and Southeastern for millions of Londoners.

The map also features the new Crossrail service, dubbed the Elizabeth Line and represented in purple. 

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Services which would come under the plans are:

  • Southeastern to/from Charing Cross, Cannon Street and Victoria serving south east London (current franchise ends in June 2018).

  • Southern to/from London Bridge and Victoria serving south central London (current franchise ends in September 2021).

  • South West Trains to/from Waterloo serving south west London (current franchise ends in June 2017).

  • Great Northern to/from Moorgate serving north central London (current franchise ends September 2021).

The case for the further devolution of suburban rail services was agreed by the government in a joint Department for Transport/TfL prospectus in January 2016.

Under these plans, the first franchise to come under the Mayor’s control would be Southeastern suburban services when the current franchise ends in 2018, followed by the South Western franchise in 2020 once works at Waterloo are complete.

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The likes of Southern Rail have faced criticism in the past
Carl Court via Getty Images

Suburban services running to London Bridge and Victoria serving south central London would transfer when the current franchise ends in September 2021.

Khan said:  “Passengers on London’s suburban rail routes simply aren’t getting a good enough service. They face increasing rail fares year after year, yet face daily delays, cancellations and overcrowding.

“The Government has already agreed that devolving rail services would improve the daily commute for millions of Londoners. Ahead of the Autumn Statement,  I’m looking forward to presenting the full business case for how a transformed and modernised suburban rail network could also unlock new homes and provide other substantial economic benefits for London.

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Sadiq Khan will formally outline the business case for the devolution of London’s suburban rail services to TfL
Jack Taylor via Getty Images

“As our new TfL map demonstrates, devolution will help us deliver a truly integrated transport network where rail passengers get the same standard of service and reliability they get on the tube, allowing people to connect quickly with all parts of inner and outer London.”

Earlier this month, Southern Rail commuters spoke out in disbelief after the rail operator reported profits of nearly £100 million despite being “unable to run a functioning service”.

The RMT slammed the profit report as “shameful” and commuters were aghast at how such profits were possible when the service Southern Rail provided was “such a joke”.

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A crowded South West Trains service
Carey Tompsett/PA Wire

Khan began making changes to London’s transport network within a few months of taking the reins from his predecessor, Boris Johnson.

His new one-hour hopper bus ticket launched last week, leading officials to  estimate that 30 million bus journeys currently costing £1.50 will become free every year.

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