Sadiq Khan has announced a rebranding of London’s Overground lines to “celebrate” modern, diverse Britain. The new names such as the Windrush, Suffragette, and Lioness lines reflect the heritage and diversity of diverse communities in the city. The idea behind this rebranding is to make it easier for travelers to navigate the Overground, “while also celebrating the city’s diverse culture and history.”
The newly named lines will be given individual names and colors. They will be split into six lines: Windrush (red), Mildmay (blue), Lioness (yellow), Weaver (maroon), Suffragette (green), and Liberty (grey). According to Transport for London (TfL), the Windrush Line will run through areas “with strong ties to Caribbean communities.”
Other lines are named for historical reasons. Mildway is named after a hospital in Shoreditch that had a “pivotal role in the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s,” which made it the “valued and respected place it is for the LGBTQ+ community.” The Lioness line runs through Wembley and marks the “historic achievements and lasting legacy” of the England women’s football team. The Weaver line runs through areas of London known for the textile trade, which TfL described as being “shaped over the centuries by diverse migrant communities.” The Suffragette line is named after the early twentieth-century movement that campaigned for votes for women, and the Liberty line “celebrates the freedom that is a defining feature of London.”
The changes are estimated to cost £6.3 million which will come out of the Greater London Authority budget. The funds will go on updating customer information such as redesigning maps across all Tube and Overground stations, issuing new printed and online maps, updating around 6,000 station direction signs, and re-recording public address announcements.
As for the Londoners’ response, there are mixed opinions. Conservative London Assembly member and mayoral candidate Susan Hall criticized the rebranding, calling it “pointless, costly, virtue signaling project is costing Londoners £6.3m.”ternal line, getting a grip on crime on the tube and on our streets, he’s focusing on his own PR.”
On the other hand, Mayor Khan, who is chairman of TfL, expressed excitement about the changes by saying, “This is a hugely exciting moment, transforming how we think about London’s transport network.”
Sadiq Khan continues to receive opposition about the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) across all London boroughs. Despite it, he is determined to bring changes to make transportation in London more accessible and respectful of diverse communities.