Only a year to go!

It was the news that caused clubbers across the city to whoop in unison: London is set to launch a 24-hour Tube service on Fridays and Saturdays. Following last November’s initial announcement, Transport for London have now confirmed a start date for the service: September 12 2015.

Six trains per hour will run through the city centre on the Victoria and Jubilee lines, and most of the Piccadilly, Northern and Central lines will also be covered. In order to meet demand, eight trains per hour will run through busy stations between Camden Town and Leicester Square.

The news is proving contentious, with unions claiming that the proposal is being “bulldozed through without any proper risk assessment or agreement on core issues.” Newly appointed RMT general secretary Mick Cash has the following to say:

“To make this plan work we need more tube staff not less if we are not going to be risking disaster at three o’clock in the morning when the West End is flooded with thousands of people fresh out of the pubs and clubs. As it stands at the moment the night tube plans are not properly thought through and are a disaster waiting to happen.”

Predictably, Mayor Boris Johnson is striking a more upbeat note:

“London is a bustling, 24-hour global city and by this time next year we’ll have a 24-hour Tube. As well as creating vital new jobs and giving a huge boost to our economy, the Night Tube will help millions of people to get around our city more easily and quickly.”

By way of tribute, here’s you-know-who: