The City of London Corporation has welcomed a commitment by Transport for London (TfL) to reopen the Waterloo and City line in the coming months.

Services on the line – London’s second-most intensively used – have been stopped since March 2020. A TfL board meeting was told yesterday that the line would restart in May or June.

The City Corporation has also written to the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, in support of a swift and sustainable settlement for TfL in order to help drive the capital’s economic recovery.

Policy Chair at the City of London Corporation, Catherine McGuinness, said:

“It is very positive news that TfL have committed to reopening the Waterloo and City line in the next few months. This will be vital to support the reopening of the City and help workers to return once it is safe to do so.

“The pandemic, and the restrictions on travel and working from the office in particular, have had a significant impact upon TfL and its financial sustainability.

“The City Corporation has previously called for a secure, long term funding settlement for TfL. We once again reiterate our support for a swift outcome to the ongoing negotiations and call on all parties to agree a sustainable funding package.

“TfL’s services will be critical in enabling those who work in the City, and London’s wider central activities zone, to return to their normal lives and for businesses to have the security to reopen.

“Now that we have a roadmap in place for a safe reopening of our country over the coming months, it is vital that we retain a financially secure public transport network. It will play a central role in ensuring that London has a successful and sustainable economic recovery from the pandemic.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk