TfL appoints London Overground operator to run additional services

28 May 2014
First new trains on new London Overground routes to arrive in summer 2018 Station upgrades programme to be rolled out following takeover

Transport for London (TfL) has agreed to appoint LOROL, the London Overground train operator, on an interim basis to run local services out of Liverpool Street Station to north east London and improve standards for passengers. 

LOROL (London Overground Rail Operations Ltd) will run the services - currently managed under the Greater Anglia franchise - between Liverpool Street and Enfield Town, Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters) and Chingford as well as those on the Romford to Upminster line for 17 months starting on 31 May next year.

The London Overground concession, including these latest additions, will then be re-let following an established bidding process.  

Under TfL, and from day one of the transfer, passengers can look forward to seeing staff at all London Overground -managed stations while trains are running.

Their presence will bring immediate improvements to station security, safety and accessibility. Oyster will continue to be available to passengers who will also be able to use contactless payment cards for the same PAYG fare.

They will be able to take advantage of TfL's extensive multi-media travel service information.  

In a rolling programme, all of the stations will be thoroughly cleaned, and have new, modern ticket machines installed.

The trains will also be fully cleaned but TfL has ordered new ones which will carry more people more reliably than before.

LOROL has operated London Overground for TfL, since 2007.

During that time the network has been significantly extended, carrying more people than ever, and it has become one of the most punctual  railways in the UK.  

The Director of London Rail, Jonathan Fox, who leads TfL's mainline rail business said: "London Overground is coming to West Anglia and will bring more staff, simpler ticketing and, eventually, brand new trains to these lines. LOROL has a proven record on delivery and I'm pleased that this will now extend to West Anglia."  

LOROL will take over the new routes on 31 May 2015 and run them until November 2016 when the current London Overground concession is due to end.  

  • The delivery of a new fleet of trains for these routes is being planned with the first of the new units arriving in summer 2018.
  • Until then the existing West Anglia train fleet - after deep cleaning - will continue to be used

TfL intends to improve the performance and reliability of the services by:

  • agreeing a contract which will focus the operator's resources on the delivery of benefits to passengers
  • providing a new train fleet with less risk of failure
  • close working with Network Rail
  • Preliminary work on the procurement of the new London Overground Concession due for issue in 2016 which will include these Liverpool Street station services has already begun
  • LOROL began operating the seven-year London Overground concession in November 2007. Under a contractual option, this was extended by two years until November 2016 following the successful delivery of Olympic services