After years of delays London’s underground service has finally caught up with cities such as Berlin, Barcelona and NY as the night tube takes its first ever run on Saturday.
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London Mayor Sadiq Khan (centre) travelling with passengers on a northbound Victoria line Tube train during the launch of the Night Tube service on Saturday. “It is situated on the Central line, has one of the lowest average house prices on the initial night tube network, but is also the seventh highest level of demand and as a result has enjoyed one of the largest price increases over the a year ago”.
The British Transport Police has said around 100 officers will be on patrol.
The service will allow everyone who wants to enjoy late evenings, or very early mornings, to take the tube home once their frivolities are over.
The night tube is thought to boost the city’s night time economy.
The driver of the first train said the service was “great for London” and insisted he would be able to adjust to his gruelling new schedule. Figures suggest more than 100,000 people will use overnight trains on the first two nights.
Joseph Tung Yao-chung, executive director of the Travel Industry Council, said the round-the clock underground services were good news for Hong Kong visitors.
The long-awaited move brings London in line with major cities such as New York, Berlin, and Copenhagen.
The mayor noted that the Night Tube would provide a huge boost to the United Kingdom capital and demonstrates that “London is open”, as quoted in the statement. Transport for London said it would add about £6.4bn to London’s economy by 2030, £77m to the UK’s economy per year and create 500,000 jobs.
Riders have always been promised a round-the-clock service but opposition from workers’ unions, seeking better pay and conditions in return for working antisocial hours, has delayed plans.
And while younger Londoners cheered the opportunity to stay out later, others were more subdued.
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After a number of other missed deadlines, the first night Tubes will begin tonight. “In a lot of ways the demand for 24-hour transport is employment driven rather than entertainment driven and if you think about it small changes in productivity can make a big difference”.
