Spotlight

Transport for London

Transport for London (TfL) is the integrated transport authority responsible for delivering the Mayor of London’s strategy and commitments on transport

Every day around 30 million journeys are made across the network and TfL keeps the city moving, runs the day-to-day operation of the Capital’s public transport network and manages London’s main roads.

The services operated include London Underground, London Buses, Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, TfL Rail, London Trams, London River Services, London Dial-a-Ride, Victoria Coach Station, Santander Cycles and the Emirates Air Line. TfL provides modern ways to pay through Oyster and contactless payment cards and provides live travel information via the app TFL Go, which allows users to get live updates on their journey, and advises on the most accessible routes for those with reduced mobility.

The TfL programme of transport capital investment is one of the world’s largest. It is modernising Tube services and stations, transforming the road network and making it safer, especially for more vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. It is also working hard to help customers with reduced mobility access stations, as one third of London underground stations are now step-free.

TfL Rail TfL started managing the Liverpool Street to Shenfield rail service in May 2015 and the running of eleven stations between Acton Main Line and Taplow (excluding Slough station) in December 2017. Those stations transferred to TfL Rail outside London were included because they are part of an existing rail route.

TfL Rail does not affect the ‘fast’ trains that serve major stops such as Southend-onSea. These are still the responsibility of the Government and run alongside TfL services. TfL has overall responsibility for the train frequency specifications, standards for station facilities and overall performance as well as fares and revenue management.

Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex, visited Paddington Elizabeth line station on 17 May 2022 to mark the completion of the transformational new railway ahead of its opening later on in May 2022. It is due to run twelve trains per hour between Paddington and Abbey Wood, transforming travel across London and the South East by improving transport links and cutting journey times. It will initially operate as three separate railways, with services from Reading, Heathrow, and Shenfield connecting with the central tunnels from autumn 2022.

Docklands Light Railway The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) opened in 1987 and operates as a driverless, computerised system with performance and dependability among the best in the UK. The DLR network of 45 stations has multiple connections with the Tube, buses, National Rail, Overground, river and coach services and runs 149 vehicles.

The DLR is currently the busiest light railway in the UK, with over 400,000 journeys made each weekday.The DLR is operated by KeolisAmey Docklands (KAD) under a franchisee contract awarded by TfL. It operates the trains, stations and maintains much of the network. KAD took over the franchise from Serco Docklands in December 2014.

A contract was awarded to Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A (CAF) in June 2019 to replace some of the oldest trains operating on the network. The new fleet of walk-through trains are expected to start entering passenger service from 2023 providing a number of customer improvements, including the latest audio and visual real-time travel information, air conditioning and mobile device charging points. London Overground TfL is responsible for London Overground – a group of orbital lines serving many areas of the Capital. Launched in 2007, around a third of all Londoners are within walking distance of a London Overground station. There are six London Overground routes that, together, form an outer London orbital network. This route travels through 23 London boroughs, as well as southern Hertfordshire and serves 112 stations. Upgrades to London Overground stations is ongoing, with improved ticket halls and gates, installed lifts, widened entrances, improved shelters and increased cycle parking to name a few of the improvements to service.

In November 2016 Arriva began to manage the network’s stations and trains on a day-to-day basis. Network Rail manages and maintains most of the track and signals, as London Overground is part of the National Rail network.

London Trams TfL took over the running of Trams in 2008 and completely refurbished the Trams network which had been created eight years earlier. Trams offer frequent services from Croydon to Wimbledon, Beckenham Junction, Elmers End and New Addington. TfL sets the specifications for tram frequency and overall performance, is responsible for fares and revenue, carries out maintenance, and plans and funds improvements and extensions to the

network. The tram network has 17 miles of track, 34 trams in the fleet and 39 stops. It serves seven National Rail stations and more than fifty bus routes. Tram Operations (TOL), a subsidiary of First Group, operates trams day-to-day under a franchisee agreement with TfL. TOL’s contract will expire in 2030.

With an expected passenger growth of 60 million by 2030 there is certainly room in the next eight years to upgrade the network and accommodate this passenger growth. This includes plans to provide seamless local journeys within south London by integrating trams with the Tube, and other local rail networks.

London Underground London Underground, better known as the Tube, opened in 1863, it is the world’s oldest underground railway network, and one of the largest. The Tube spans 270 stations and over eleven lines. TfL is responsible for all aspects of the Tube’s operations including running the trains, stations and control centres, making sure the Tube is safe and secure, and collecting and protecting fares revenue as well as the maintenance and renewal of most of the infrastructure used by the Tube, although some services run over track that is the responsibility of Network Rail.

As the city continued to recover from the pandemic, and despite hybrid working becoming more of a norm TfL figures show that tube ridership increased by more than 25 per cent between the months January and February of 2022. With stations in the heart of London’s financial district, like Bank and Canary Wharf seeing ridership numbers back on track.

Quick Facts • Rumour has it that the Bakerloo line was created after a group of businessmen complained that they couldn't get to and from Lord's Cricket Ground quickly enough. • Opened in 1863, The Metropolitan Railway between

Paddington and Farringdon was the first, urban, underground railway in the world. • One third of London Underground stations are now step-free. • The average additional journey time required for step-free journeys has now been reduced to around 6.7 minutes, comparing to 9.5 minutes back in 2016. • Her Majesty became the first reigning monarch to travel on the London Underground in 1969, when she opened the

Victoria line. • Although a number of Jubilee line stations are among the

Underground's newest, the line also serves some stations that originally opened over 100 years ago. • No other city is as defined by its transport system as London. Key Personnel Commissioner: Andy Byford Director of Communications & Corporate Affairs: Matt Brown General Counsel: Howard Carter Chief Capital Officer: Stuart Harvey Chief Finance Officer: Simon Kilonback Chief Operating Officer: Andy Lord Chief Safety, Health and Environment Officer: Lilli Matson Chief Customer & Strategy Officer: Gareth Powell Chief Executive, Crossrail Limited: Mark Wild TFL’s Director of Customer Operations: Nick Dent

Contact Information Address: Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8NJ Tel: 0343 222 1234 Email: Contact via website Visit: www.tfl.gov.uk