London Overground to get night train service at weekends

All-night weekend trains will run for the first time on the London Overground network by the end of the year, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced.

The new service will begin operating from December on Fridays and Saturdays between New Cross Gate and Dalston Junction.

The service will then be extended to Highbury and Islington next year.

The move follows the launch of 24-hour services on the Central, Victoria, Jubilee, Piccadilly and Northern lines.

Khan said: "Our night tube services have been a real success right across the capital, so I'm delighted to announce that we'll be bringing the night overground to the East London line later this year.

"It will provide huge benefits to Londoners and visitors to our city, helping those working hard through the night and all those out enjoying everything London has to offer, as well as creating jobs and boosting our economy."

Overground services stop shortly after midnight under the current timetable.

Chairman of the Night Time Industries Association Alan Miller said: "London is making significant strides to become a smart, future-oriented 24-hour city in which transport is a vital component. So hurrah for this!"

Only a small proportion of the network is included in the project as most Overground trains operate on Network Rail tracks, which are also used by other train companies, freight and maintenance services.

On the underground network parts of the Metropolitan, Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines are set to be added once modernisation programmes are completed in 2023.