The long-awaited Night Tube will start in August but only on two of the planned five lines, it was claimed yesterday.
Passengers will be able to travel through the night on Fridays and Saturdays on the Victoria and Jubilee lines, beginning on August 5. Services on the Piccadilly, Central and Northern lines will follow in September, it is understood.
The whole of Night Tube could be in operation from September 23, more than 12 months after the service’s intended launch of September 12 last year. Businesses say the service will give the night-time economy a welcome boost, worth millions of pounds a year.
Mayor Boris Johnson announced the plans for a Night Tube in September 2014 but the network’s unions refused to agree. Subsequent rows over pay, staffing and working conditions led to a series of bitter strikes and threats of further industrial action, delaying the process.
Details of the start were revealed by union Aslef, which represents train drivers. It stated yesterday: “London Underground’s new Night Tube service is set to be launched in August. TfL has drawn up plans to roll out the new all-night service line by line.
“Passengers will be able to travel through the night on Fridays and Saturdays on the Victoria and Jubilee lines in August and then on the Central, Northern and Piccadilly lines in September.”
There are plans to expand night-time running to parts of the Metropolitan, Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines in the future — and to sections of London Overground next year and the Docklands Light Railway by 2021.
Aslef’s organiser on LU, Finn Brennan, said: “We were always clear that we were in favour of Night Tube. A world-class capital city such as London deserves a world-class public transport system. We are really pleased that passengers will be able to enjoy an all-night service from August.”
Johnson had hoped for Night Tube to begin before he leaves City Hall on May 5, viewing it as an important part of his legacy. It is understood he has been pressing Transport for London for some weeks for a start date so he could at least announce it before he stands down.
A TfL spokesman denied that dates had been agreed. He added: “No date has yet been agreed for the launch of Night Tube but we are working hard to deliver it for London as quickly as possible.”
Sources told the Evening Standard that an official announcement was expected to be made by the mayor this week when he meets new driver recruits for Night Tube.
The meeting was scheduled to take place at TfL-owned Ashfield House, a staff training centre which includes a mock station, in West Kensington.