Sadiq Khan today launched Transport for London’s biggest advertising campaign in nearly a decade as the Mayor desperately tries to attract people back to the capital.
Sectors including hospitality, retail and events have been hammered by successive lockdowns with Underground usage still at just 38 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
And Mr Khan has now launched the ‘Welcome back London’ campaign to encourage passengers back onto the Tube and bus network, on which usage is at 68 per cent.
The Mayor’s office said it aims to ‘remind people of what they’ve missed most about our city during the past 16 months and inspire them to ‘Tube it. Bus it. Train it’.’
The campaign includes adapted TfL ’roundel’ symbols at 16 key Tube, Overground and Docklands Light Railway stations which aim to reflect what brings people there.
Mayor Sadiq Khan looks at the new ‘Retail Therapy’ roundel at Shepherd’s Bush station today
Mayor Sadiq Khan at Bond Street Underground station during a walkabout in London today
These include ‘Going Out Out’ in Brixton, ‘Retail Therapy’ in Shepherds Bush, ‘Best Day Ever’ in Gloucester Road and ‘Opening Night’ in Leicester Square.
But as he launched TfL’s biggest marketing drive since the London 2012 Olympics, Mr Khan also urged people to behave ‘responsibly’ on the network.
He added that face masks remain mandatory as a condition of carriage on all TfL services. Wearing them is now no longer the law following ‘Freedom Day’ today – and they are not compulsory on other rail services in England.
The cost of the latest advertising campaign has not yet been disclosed.
Mr Khan said: ‘Today’s full re-opening of the capital’s culture, hospitality and night-time economy venues is an important step, but I urge all Londoners and visitors to enjoy themselves carefully and responsibly.
‘This includes continuing to follow the rules and wear a face covering for the duration of their journey on TfL services.
‘Public transport is one of the best and most convenient ways to get around and enjoy our city, and by keeping face masks mandatory it will provide an extra layer of protection and reassurance on top of TfL’s world-leading enhanced cleaning regime.’
TfL said Tube travel was at 38 per cent of normal demand today and unchanged from last week, with 790,000 entries and exits compared to a pre-pandemic baseline of 2.1million.
Bus travel was at 68 per cent of normal, and down 4 per cent in a week, with 900,000 boarding taps compared to a 1.31million baseline.
Commuters travel on a London Underground Jubilee line train at about 8.10am this morning
Commuters stand on board a Piccadilly line train on the London Underground this morning
The fall is bus usage is partially a result of schools getting towards the end of term, and the summer is generally quieter across the network.
Transport bosses in the capital added that staff observed face mask compliance at around 85 per cent this morning, which is roughly at the same kind of level as has been seen in recent weeks.
London’s Transport Commissioner, Andy Byford, said today: ‘I am extremely grateful to the overwhelming majority of our customers who have complied with the requirement to wear a face covering and this remains compulsory when travelling on the TfL network.
‘As more people return to public transport following step 4 of the Government’s plan, this will continue to help build confidence and enable people to get back to the many wonderful things about London that we have all missed during the pandemic.
‘Our buses, trains and stations are cleaner than ever and well ventilated and we are running at near-normal service levels.
Commuters look at their phones on a Jubilee ;ine train at 8.50am in London this morning
A busy platform at London Bridge station on the Jubilee line this morning on ‘Freedom Day’
‘There is plenty of capacity at the quieter to get you to the fantastic places London has to offer with the TfL Go app offering real-time information about how busy stations are.
‘Our new TV and poster campaign welcomes everyone back to our services and demonstrates that public transport is the safe, clean and reliable way to get around this city.’
And Bernard Donoghue, director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, said: ‘Londoners’ favourite visitor attractions are looking forward to welcoming visitors and ensuring that they have a safe and comfortable visit as well as a fantastic visitor experience.
‘Attractions will still be maintaining many of their previous social distancing and other mitigation measures, like Transport for London, for the safety and reassurance of their staff and visitors.’