New rail network for Islington

By Rupert Neate

A NEW London Overground will soon complement Islington’s Underground, Transport for London has announced.
Highbury and Islington, Caledonian Road, and Barnsbury stations are to be incorporated into a new city wide rail network.

Transport for London (TfL) will be taking over control of the North London line from the Silverlink Metro in November 2007. The service will be renamed London Overground and the trains will have the network’s own trademark ‘Roundel‘.
Millions of pounds will be spent on trains and station improvements with a view to increasing the frequency of service on the line.
Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, said: “For decades national rail services in London have been neglected and in many cases under-utilised. The transfer of responsibilities to Transport for London and the dawn of 'London Overground' will start the much needed revitalisation of London rail services, bringing the standards of service up to the levels of the Tube and the buses.”
TfL’s takeover of the line is part of a wider scheme to create an ‘M25 of the railways’. London Overground will also take over control of the East London Line and build a £1bn extension to North Dalston in the North and West Croydon in the South, creating a continuous train link from Richmond to West Croydon. A future train link is planned between West Croydon and Clapham Junction to form a complete orbital railway of London.
The development is likely to have a considerable impact on the people of Islington as Barnsbury, and Highbury and Islington stations are key interchange stations on the line.
Joe Ragdimskin, of Bewdley Street said: “It sounds like a great plan, as the current trains are a disgrace. They only come every half and hour and they’re usually late”.
Margaret Shaw, of Hemingford Road said: “This isn’t the first time we have been promised improvements to Barnsbury station, only last year SilverLink promised to refurbish the station, but they haven’t. I don’t use the station as to get there you have walk down a dark alleyway with no lights.”

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