FOI - Overground line rebranding [Mar 2024]

Your request 

1. Did the Mayor of London’s Office authorise, contribute to, or request the sending of the Transport for London (TfL) email “London Overground line naming” that was sent on Thursday 15th February 24?
2. If so, please also share the communication that was sent to TfL by the Mayor of London’s office authorising this marketing email. Please also share any email TfL may have sent confirming the Mayor of London office’s instruction.
3. For the avoidance of doubt, this would also include a more vague request by Mayor of London’s office to send any email regarding the Overground names - and is not explicitly limited to the email that TfL did eventually decide to send.
4. As part of the TfL marketing for the Overground Name exercise, did Mayor of London office specifically authorise or request the sending of the marketing email to all TfL users, regardless of whether they were opted in (consented) to email marketing?
5. Please share this correspondence also.

Our response

1. The email “London Overground line naming” was part of TfL’s communications plan. The communication plan was shared with the GLA in full as part of preparation for the launch/ announcement
2. TfL included reference to the customer email within its communication plan. The communication plan was shared with the GLA for approval and noted:

“CRM - We will email Customers on both our Services database, segmenting audience by the line they use, while also letting them know the names of the lines for the entire Overground network London Overground Renaming”

Dear XXX,

We're naming the London Overground lines to make the network easier to navigate and  reflect the Capital's diverse history. We aim to make the changes by the end of 2024.

Each of the 6 routes that make up the London Overground will be given a new name and its  own colour. Giving each of the 6 London Overground routes an individual line colour lets us  improve the way our customers experience our network. It also gives each line their own name and identity.

The:

• Euston to Watford Junction line – will now be called the Lioness line – and will be yellow
• Stratford to Richmond/Clapham Junction line - will now be called the Mildmay line – and will be blue
• Highbury & Islington to New Cross/Crystal Palace/West Croydon/Clapham Junction line – will now be called the Windrush line - and will be red
• Liverpool Street to Cheshunt/Enfield Town/Chingford line – will now be called the Weaver line – and will be maroon
• Gospel Oak to Barking Riverside line – will now be called the Suffragette line – and will be green
• Romford to Upminster line – will now be called the Liberty line – and will be grey

To find out more information, please clickhere

In addition, specific improvements will also include:

• Greater customer confidence
• Clearer wayfinding
• Clearer service disruption information

London Overground will remain as the umbrella brand, keeping the iconic orange roundel.

Click here to see the new Overground map. These changes will not affect London Overground services, and customers will still be able to make the same journeys.

Your sincerely,

XXXXX

3. As above
4. The GLA does not hold the information within scope of your request. Transport for London (TfL) is the Mayor's transport authority and is responsible for implementing the Mayor's Transport Strategy, and for the day-to-day operational running of transport services. You may wish to send a further request to TfL at [email protected].