During the early hours of August 20 I was delighted to attend the launch of the first night tube with the Mayor of London, Florence Eshalomi writes.
As a lifelong South Londoner, I was really excited to board the first train and it was great to see so many people out that evening as the train left the platform at 12.36am.
The night tube is long overdue. As a busy major city we need to make the most of all that London has to offer – the night tube will help us to make the best of London, day and night.
The introduction of the Northern and Jubilee lines later this autumn will help thousands of Southwark residents and will be a welcomed boost to our local night time economy.
The night tube will help to support local businesses – the Southbank is already popular with local residents and tourists from across the world. Many visitors will now have the opportunity to enjoy a night out without frantically checking that they’re not about to miss the last train.
Other areas across Southwark including East Dulwich, Peckham and Camberwell, which may not have direct tube access, will also benefit by providing an additional route for passengers.
The night tube will provide a safe and efficient means of travel home for many of our vital workers who work long night shift hours including many cleaners, police officers, paramedics and others.
Undoubtedly with any new transport project, there may be some concerns about the day-to-day operation and teething problems.
I have raised some questions directly with the Mayor about the need for Transport for London to work with local councils and businesses along the new night tube route to ensure that there is access to enough public toilet facilities. This may seem like a minor detail in the operation of the tube, but for local residents and businesses close to tube exits, it is a major point.
It is important for Transport for London to work with local residents, businesses and others who may be impacted by the introduction of the night tube to ensure that any concerns around additional noise, safety or anti-social behaviour from additional passengers at night will be addressed.
This is something that I will be keeping a close eye on before the launch of the additional lines.