Victoria line services to increase in major boost for commuters
5 Nov 2019 10:56 AM
New timetable means trains arrive every 100 seconds for around three hours during weekday morning and evening peaks.
- Boost to peak capacity on Victoria line will benefit hundreds of thousands of customers every day
- Increased frequency will reduce crowding and congestion
Victoria line commuters will benefit from quicker and more comfortable journeys from today as Transport for London (TfL) doubles the length of its highest frequency peak services.
A new timetable, introduced today, means that Victoria Line trains will arrive every 100 seconds for three hours during the morning and evening peak, rather than an hour and a half.
The Victoria line is already one of the most frequent metro services in Europe. The new timetable will increase capacity by a further five per cent - benefitting 275,000 customers every weekday. Extending the peak service will give Londoners more flexibility to travel when it suits them, which will help reduce crowding and congestion along the line.
The Victoria line is used by 250 million customers each year and serves Oxford Circus, Kings Cross St Pancras and Victoria, which are among the busiest stations on the network.
Victoria line trains will continue to arrive every 135 seconds outside of peak times.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said:
“The Victoria line is one of London's busiest Tube lines, so I'm delighted that our new timetable will mean hundreds of thousands of commuters will benefit from quicker, more comfortable journeys.
“Since becoming Mayor I've frozen TfL fares, introduced the Hopper fare and invested record amounts in new infrastructure - making it even more convenient for Londoners to use public transport.”
Brian Woodhead, Director of Customer Service for London Underground, said:
“The new timetable on the Victoria line will contribute towards better journeys for hundreds of thousands of customers who use the line every day. It will make stations and trains less crowded, and will make journeys quicker and more comfortable. It is one of the many ways that we are seeking to improve the lives of Londoners, encourage use of public transport and support the city's economic growth.”
The new Victoria line timetable follows the introduction of increased services at peak times on the Northern and Jubilee lines last year.
Victoria line customers have benefited from a range of improvements in recent years. The Siemens signalling system was upgraded in 2017, enabling the increased frequency of services. A major upgrade of Victoria Tube station was completed in 2018, delivering two new entrances, nine new escalators and a new ticket hall.
A number of key stations along the Victoria line are also now fully step-free, with Finsbury Park recently becoming the 78th step-free station across the Underground network. The Victoria line also operates Night Tube services on a Friday and Saturday, providing a quick and affordable way to travel across London at night.
Improvements to the Tube network are an important part of the Mayor's Transport Strategy, as they help to reduce reliance on cars. Investment in public transport helps to make London a greener and more accessible city, and will contribute to the Mayor's target of 80 per cent of journeys made by public transport, cycling or walking by 2041.
Notes to Editors:
- The highest-frequency services previously operated on the Victoria line in Central London between approximately 08.15 and 09.45 in the morning, and 17.00 and 18.30 in the evening.
- The new timetable means that this service will now operate from approximately 07.15 until 10.15 in the morning, and 16.15 until 19.15 in the evening.