London Mayor Sadiq Khan (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
’s £6.3 million rebrand of Overground is “sick” and will generate a “huge rebellion”, Reform UK’s former London Mayoral candidate Howard Cox has warned.
Meanwhile Lee Anderson, one of the party’s five MPs, has mischievously suggested one of the lines should have been renamed “The Useless Mayor” in his honour.
Labour incumbent Mr Khan today officially launched six newly named and colour-coded lines on the London Overground network, marking a significant change to how the system is presented to passengers.
The lines are named Lioness, Mildmay, Windrush, Weaver, Suffragette, and Liberty, each with its own distinct colour.
Mr Cox, who is also the founder of Fair Fuel UK, said: “Khan continues to dabble in issues that are not in any way part of his job description.”
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Sadiq Khan unveiled the rebrand today (Image: TfL)
’s quest to transform what was once a “safe proud capital city” in order to suit his “personal agenda” was “sick and will generate a huge rebellion”, Mr Cox claimed.
He added: “Spending tax payers’ hard earned cash on his ego driven whims makes it even worse.
“ must pull in his reins and tell him to butt out of national and international politics to focus on his day job.”
Mr Anderson said: “Many Londoners would have welcomed the name ‘The Useless Mayor’ which would’ve really given visitors an insight as to what life is like under this out of touch politician.”
Writing in the Evening Standard in February, Tory GLA member Susan Hall, who also challenged Mr Khan, said of the rebrand: “That’s a damning indictment of the state of our transport infrastructure, yet Khan’s attention seems to be fixated on superficial changes rather than addressing the pressing issues at hand. Instead of patting himself on the back for freezing fares and renaming lines, he should be addressing the glaring deficiencies in our transport system.
“It’s what I would do. Pop the hood and fix the motor. Londoners deserve safe, reliable, and efficient trains — not just feel-good names on a map.”
The initiative, which costs £6.3 million funded from the Greater London Authority budget, is intended to making the Overground easier to navigate, says Transport for London. The 113-station network has previously been criticised for its “mass of orange spaghetti” on maps.
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The new London Overground line names and colours (Image: PA)
The updates include 6,000 new station signs, refreshed maps, digital displays, and online journey planners.
Additionally, TfL held a competition inviting Londoners to submit poems and posters reflecting the spirit of the new line names. Eleven winners, aged between 6 and 51, now see their works displayed across the network.
At the launch, Mr Khan described the rebranding as a tribute to London’s vibrant history and its diverse communities: “These distinct colours and identities not only make our fantastic London Overground easier for customers to navigate, but they also honour the energy and diverse experiences that make our city what it is today.”
Prominent public figures, such as entrepreneur Levi Roots and singer Mica Paris, joined the unveiling.
Howard Cox stood for Reform UK in London earlier this year (Image: Getty)
Mr Roots, representing the Windrush line, shared his pride as a child of the Windrush generation: “The renaming of the Windrush line is special to me… I’m inspired by this amazing honour.”
Ms Paris also reflected on the recognition of the Windrush generation’s legacy, linking it to her personal history and her local station in Brockley.
TfL’s chief customer and strategy officer, Alex Williams, emphasised the practical benefits of the new line names and colours: “The support for these new identities has been fantastic. They simplify the Overground for passengers while celebrating the diverse history of the communities the network serves.”
The Overground was created in 2007 when TfL took over suburban rail services, gradually expanding the system into a major transport artery. The first passengers using the newly branded lines can expect to see the changes immediately, with the rebranding process across the entire network set to continue throughout the year.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London, said: “Customer research showed that renaming the lines would help passengers navigate the Overground and to encourage more people to confidently use public transport.
“The Mayor is proud of these new names that honour and reflect London’s diverse communities and histories.”