+ COMMENT: Politically correct London

The Mayor of London’s latest foolish brainchild is now (expensively) with us.  This is a mayor who does not drive (he has a chauffeur), limits all vehicles to 20mph on a major artery route, and only cycles for promotional purposes.  

London’s Overground has been renamed.  The Circle Line, which is a leftover from the days when it was a circular line, stays the same, confusing visitors.  Transport for London (TfL) says it is too expensive to rename it to perhaps the Fleet Line.  

The new names are political.  We the ratepayers were never asked!  Why Liberty and not Autonomy Line, or the Sport Line instead of Lioness since it passes near Wembley Stadium.

This is what we are stuck with!  The regulars who use the services probably will not  notice, or even be bothered.  Visitors to the capital will be just confused.  “Why the Mildmay Line!”.  And in case TNU is being accused of being partisan, the Conservatives in the capital seem leaderless and have not put up much resistance.

For the record the new names and colours are:

• Lioness (running from Watford Junction to Euston) – yellow
• Mildmay (running from Richmond and Clapham Junction to Stratford) – blue
• Windrush (running from Highbury & Islington to New Cross, Clapham Junction, Crystal Palace and West Croydon) – red
• Weaver (running from Liverpool Street to Enfield Town, Cheshunt and Chingford) – maroon
• Suffragette (running from Gospel Oak to Barking Riverside) – green
• Liberty (running from Romford to Upminster) – grey

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/london-overground/overground-line-naming

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READERS' COMMENT

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 200 words maximum

John Stewart, United Kingdom

The are ridiculous and meaningless. Much better would have been to tie the names to geography so they give the irregular user some idea of where they go.

Simon Grigor, United Kingdom

Too right about the Conservatives. A big-hitter candidate at the two last Mayoral elections might have seen the dire Khan kicked out. Instead we have been offered Shaun Bailey in 2020, and Susan Hall this year. Both of them hopeless!

David Starkie, United Kingdom

If you have the Windrush, why not the Huguenots Line, first real refugees.

Steven Gibbs, Kilburn

Is it not about time that BBC TV London started to ask questions of the Mayor instead of following him around and offering platitudes. And for the Conservatives in the capital to find an effective leader.