The former Silverlink services were transferred to Transport for London (TfL) in 2007, heralding a major investment programme that has brought passengers new trains, additional staffing and more reliable services.
As a result of the investment, the Overground is now consistently one of the UK’s best performing rail services as measured by National Rail.
In recent months Mayor of London Boris Johnson and TfL, backed by the London Assembly and watchdog London TravelWatch, have called for more rail services to be passed to TfL.
David Leibling, Acting Chair at TravelWatch has used the anniversary to repeat the case for the Government to devolve more suburban London services to TfL.
Leibling said: ‘London TravelWatch and its predecessor organisations have argued for London’s Mayor to have a greater say in the running the capital’s overground rail services for many years and the last five years have shown what can be achieved if this happens.
“Five years ago, TfL inherited an unreliable line, serviced by old overcrowded trains which ran infrequently. Today, users of London Overground are benefiting from the much improved quality of London Overground services, with decent standards for stations, enhanced ticketing facilities, additional staffing where appropriate and improved passenger information.’
Earlier this week Mayor Johnson hailed the Overground as “a shining example of how railways should be run” and said “Londoners have flocked to the capital’s new service, enjoying the improved standards and connections it provides.”
