Campaign calls for London Night Tube to run for England’s World Cup matches

Football groups, political parties and business leaders have joined forces to demand that London’s Night Tube runs on week nights when England and Scotland have World Cup matches.

Sadiq Khan and Transport for London are being urged to expand overnight underground services to help supporters gather in the capital to watch their national sides after the late kick-offs.

The campaign – started by the Liberal Democrats – has been supported by the Football Supporters Association, the Night Time Industries Association and the Conservative Party.

Advocates for the special changes argue it would help England and Scotland fans get home safely and boost the night-time economy during the tournament.

The Night Tube is London’s 24-hour underground service which runs overnight on Friday and Saturday.

The Liberal Democrats argue that football supporters risk being stranded or facing complicated journeys home if they are out late watching games mid-week, when the Tube shuts at midnight.

England’s 9pm game against Ghana tonight will end around 11pm, while Scotland’s match against Brazil tomorrow will finish close to 2am.

If England progresses to the knock-out stages, fans could be out watching games even later.

The predicted England vs Mexico match for the round of 16 on Monday, July 16, is due to start at 1am.

The Liberal Democrats Transport Spokesperson, Olly Glover MP, told Metro: ‘We want to see tube services expanded to give people the opportunity to enjoy the World Cup without worrying about how they will get home safely.

‘Sadiq Khan and Transport for London should take the initiative and increase their nighttime schedule so that the hospitality industry can make the most of the World Cup and Londoners can properly enjoy the tournament.’

The party have written to the London Mayor today, saying the move would be ‘an open goal for TfL.’

The campaign has been backed by the Football Supporters Association, which represents more than 500,000 fans, who said Three Lions faithful would ‘appreciate additional public transport options’.

Some of the loudest voices calling for Night Tube services to be expanded during the World Cup are London’s hospitality leaders.

Analysis by YouGov showed that the overnight matches made three in five viewers more likely to stay at home to watch games rather than head out to bars and pubs.

That could be holding back hospitality profits, even though fans across the UK are still expected to spend £900million at venues during the tournament.

The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), which represents the UK’s late-night economy, argue that extra Night Tube days during the World Cup will boost the sector and ensure their customers are safe.

The NTIA’s CEO Michael Kill told Metro: ‘Major events drive significant footfall into hospitality and entertainment venues, but their success depends on people being able to move safely and confidently across the city.

‘With several World Cup fixtures finishing late into the evening, extending services will help ensure fans are not left stranded and can travel home safely.

‘Transport is fundamental to the success of the night-time economy, supporting businesses, workers and customers alike.’

Pubs have also been allowed to stay open later during the World Cup.

For games that kick off between 5pm and 9pm, licensing hours are extended until 1am and for those that kick off between 9pm and 10pm, licensing hours are extended to 2am.

The Heart of London Business Alliance, which represents over 500 businesses in the capital, agreed that extending the Night Tube will ‘create a huge boost for the hospitality, leisure and the night-time economy’.

However the group called for clarity about how the additional hours will be funded to support policing and stewarding on the Tube network.

Others have also raised concerns about the pressures on TfL staff who are working through the 40C heatwave this week.

The campaign has nonetheless found cross-party support, with the Conservative Party putting more pressure on the London Mayor to ‘support bars and pubs’

Nigel Huddleston MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, told Metro: ‘It’s not without precedent for travel services to be extended and expanded to satisfy fan surges, and I would encourage Sadiq Khan to expand night tube services for the benefit of football fans during the World Cup.

‘An extension of services would also support pubs and bars, and sustain jobs which is the least labor can do after their tax demands have so undermined the hospitality sector.’

labor MP Dawn Butler, who represents Brent East, also joined the campaign, saying that ‘football fans shouldn’t have to choose between supporting their national team and getting home safely.’

Transport for London (TfL) stressed that the Tube network needed to remain closed on other nights to ensure maintenance work could be carried out.

A TfL spokesperson said: ‘Our night-time transport network features more than 100 bus routes to help people travel across London, as well as our regulated taxi and private hire networks.

‘Parts of the Tube and the Overground network operate throughout the night on Friday and Saturday nights because we are able to complete essential maintenance work on other nights to ensure the Underground continues to run safely and efficiently.

‘Moving these engineering works is challenging and would compromise our ability to operate the best possible service. We will continue to work hard to offer the best possible service to Londoners this summer.’

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