Passengers on a London Overground branch line are to get free travel for a month after suffering long periods of delays and overcrowding.
Electric trains have finally been introduced on the Gospel Oak to Barking line, about a year behind schedule, after manufacturer Bombardier suffered problems with their on-board software.
This resulted in service frequencies being reduced from four to two trains an hour earlier this year and reconditioned electric trains being brought in as a stop-gap after the lease ran out on the original diesel two-car units.
Today, as a “thank you” to passengers for enduring months of disruption, Transport for London announced that it would be free to travel on the line from August 31 to October 1.
The bill — likely to be about £2 million — will be picked up by Bombardier after Mayor Sadiq Khan and deputy mayor for transport Heidi Alexander read the riot act to the firm’s executives.
About 30,000 passengers a day use the line. Peak fares using Oyster or contactless are £2.40, and £1.50 off-peak.
Passengers who change into another line will have only the equivalent cost of a single journey on the branch line refunded. Six of the new four-carriage Class 710 trains are currently running on the line, with two more under testing.
They are twice the length of the previous diesel trains, can carry nearly 700 people, and have air conditioning, free WiFi and USB charging points.
The same rolling stock — in eight-carriage formation — will be introduced on London Overground lines between Liverpool Street and Enfield, Cheshunt and Chingford by the end of the year.
Passengers must continue to touch in and out. The refunds will be applied automatically for those using contactless or Oyster pay as you go, weekly or monthly Travelcard users. People using longer-period Oyster Travelcards, such as annual passes, will need an online account to get the refund. Paper ticket holders can submit a refund claim through TfL’s customer services.
