Tubes will not run overnight on New Year’s Eve to put partying revellers off celebrating the end of 2020, Transport for London has revealed.
Meanwhile, the Waterloo and City line will close until April as bankers work from home amid coronavirus.
Andy Lord, Managing Director of the London Underground, told a meeting of the TfL board that trains would not be running through the night on New Year’s Eve.
He said: ‘We’ve published TFL’s plans for the whole of the festive period. It’s a near normal service compared to last Christmas with the one exception being New Year’s Eve where we are not planning to run through the night.’
Night buses would still be running as normal, but otherwise the last service out of London will run at around 12.30am, he said.
New Year’s Eve falls outside of the five-day Christmas bubble between December 23 and 27 – when people can meet up in bubbles of up to two other households to celebrate the festive period.
A normal Thursday night service will be held on the tube this year. Pictured, fireworks explode over Elizabeth Tower housing the Big Ben clock to celebrate the New Year in London in 2013
Night buses would still be running as normal, but otherwise the last service out of London will run at around 12.30am, he said Pictured, thousands of people attending New Year’s Eve celebrations in London in 2013
It means potential revellers may be forced to stay home, especially if the capital is plunged into Tier 3 – closing all pubs and restaurants that can’t offer a takeaway service – by next week.
‘We will be operating a normal Thursday night into Friday morning service so the last trains from London will be from midnight 30 and 1am and then a slightly later start up on New Year’s Day,’ Mr Lord said.
The Waterloo and City Line is also expected to close until at least April next year, as bankers continue to stay away from the office in favour of working from home.
Mr Lord added: ‘At the moment our current planning assumption is that we won’t reopen the Waterloo and City Line before April 2021 because there is little demand for it.’
The Waterloo and City Line is also expected to close until at least April next year, as bankers continue to stay away from the office in favour of working from home (file image)
The train operators on the line also work on the Central Line trains, which have been the busiest throughout the pandemic. Pictured, an empty Waterloo Station on November 23
The train operators on the line also work on the Central Line trains, which have been the busiest throughout the pandemic.
Mr Lord said: ‘The Central Line has been one of, if not the busiest, tube line throughout the pandemic, particularly the east end of the line.
Andy Lord (pictured) is the managing director of the London Underground
‘Hence we took the decision to suspend the Waterloo and City due to the lack of demand and need to prioritise service on the central line.’
While the line is out of service the trains are being repaired, he revealed, adding that the use of the Jubilee and Northern Lines out of Waterloo Station were being constantly monitored.
‘We have the ability to reintroduce the Waterloo and City Line at relatively short notice if demand were to increase, or for any other reason, but it would have a detrimental impact on the Central Line which we believe is a higher priority.’
It comes after the annual New Year’s Eve fireworks were scrapped by London’s Mayor in September.
Sadiq Khan confirmed the display, which typically takes place near the London Eye, would not go ahead because ‘we can’t afford’ to have large numbers of people congregating amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Pictured, crowds gather in central London for last year’s celebrations
The Mayor of London previously explained the annual fireworks display, which typically takes place near the London Eye, will not go ahead as ‘we can’t afford’ to have large numbers of people congregating amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured: The 2020 celebration
Mr Khan added the New Year will instead be welcomed by ‘something that people can enjoy in the comfort of their living rooms,’ but was unable to give details. Pictured, Mr Khan in August
Mr Khan added the New Year will instead be welcomed by ‘something that people can enjoy in the comfort of their living rooms,’ but he was unable to give details.
The move was quickly slammed by industry insiders, with Peter Heath of the Professional Lighting and Sound Association urging Mr Khan to ‘think about the impact of cancelling live events on industry, on the UK economy and the wellbeing of citizens.’
Speaking to MailOnline, he added: ‘This is devastating news, not just for the event workers responsible for putting on a show-stopping spectacle, but also for the millions of spectators that look forward to ringing in the New Year.
‘While we understand the need to exercise social distancing, we need to think about the impact of cancelling live events on industry, on the UK economy and the wellbeing of citizens.’
London is currently in Tier 2, but Matt Hancock yesterday warned the capital is on the verge of entering the stricted tier before Christmas.
Asked whether the capital is in danger of being upgraded to Tier Three next week, the Health Secretary pointed to rising cases as he pleaded with people to keep obeying the rules. He urged the capital’s 9million residents to stick by the rules and ‘not push the boundaries’.
City Hall is understood to be braced for bad news when the first review of the tiers in England is carried out next Wednesday (December 16), despite the mayor insisting he does not want it to happen.
Tier Three rules would inflict yet more devastation on the hospitality industry, with bars and restaurants only allowed to operate takeaway — like during the national lockdown.