South east Londoners outraged at Overground line names

Changes to names and colours of London Overground lines have sparked fury amongst residents on Facebook.

The renaming and re-colouring, costing £6.3 million from Khan's Greater London Authority budget, are part of a drive to simplify and the transport network, as well as celebrating London's cultural heritage.

READ MORE: The story behind TfL's new Overground line name Windrush

News Shopper readers took to Facebook to share their views on the plans.

Kris Brown called the name changes a "waste of our money".

The south east Londoner said: "How about getting trains to run first."

Nikki London was just as angry, saying: "I doubt there’s one person in the whole population of tax paying Londoners that thinks this nonsense is worth their money.

"Absolute joke."

Two of the new lines, Mildmay and Windrush, run through south London (Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)

Other south east Londoners called the changes "ridiculous" and "pointless".

The London Overground lines, all orange since 2007, will adopt their new colours and names in Autumn.

The six lines will be called Lioness, Mildmay, Windrush, Weaver, Suffragette, Liberty.

Two of these lines run through south London, the blue Mildmay line and the red Windrush line, named in honour of the Mildmay Mission Hospital in Shoreditch and the Windrush immigrant generation respectively.

Many south east Londoners thought that Sadiq Khan had the wrong focus with these changes.

Amy Bresnahan said on Facebook: "What a waste of money.

"How was this approved?

"His priorities are in the wrong place."

Sean Daly pointed out: "I think the passenger's are more interested to see if they work and run on time."

However, it wasn't all negative.

READ MORE: Londoners divided by Sadiq Khan's new Overground line names

Miles Robins defended the move, asking: "How is naming overground lines a waste of time?

"That's actually super helpful for people who frequently use it and tourists trying to get around London."

The Mayor hopes this transformation will make navigating London’s transport network "simpler and easier" by getting rid of the confusing "mass of orange spaghetti" on maps.

Sadiq Khan said: "This is a hugely exciting moment, transforming how we think about London’s transport network.

"In reimagining London’s tube map, we are also honouring and celebrating different parts of London’s unique local history and culture."

Most of the overhaul's £6.3 million costs will go towards to updating customer information, redesigning and redisplaying maps, and updating around 6,000 station direction signs.

The changes will be implemented over a week in the autumn.

John Bull, editor of transport website London Reconnections, welcomed the "overdue change".

Mr Bull added that "people will grumble and moan about the names" but that has happened for "every single line that has been given a name over the years".