Report says TfL should agree to Tube sponsorship

Author: Elizabeth Smythe - 03 June 2013

A new report has claimed that the sponsorship of some of London's train stations and lines could offer fare freezes, guardian.co.uk reports.

The London Assembly's Conservative group believes that Transport for London (TfL) should consider a package of sponsorship deals in order to keep fares down. The report states that fares could be frozen or rises capped at inflation levels for the next three years.

It also says that three quarters of Londoners 'agree or strongly agree that TfL should expand their use of sponsorship across public transport', using the profits to freeze fares and fund developments.

Group member and report author, Gareth Bacon told marketingweek.com that TfL was still "behind the curve" - many other countries have taken such steps.

While a report is being drafted to determine which of TfL's services might be appropriate for sponsorship, it would appear that the London Underground is top of the list. Already, an image of the 'Virgin Euston' tube station design has been released to the media.

Other suggestions offered up in the report include 'Burberry by Bond Street', 'Knightsbridge, home of Harrods' and 'Nike at Oxford Street'.

That said, TfL's deputy chair, Daniel Moylan has implied that he is not comfortable with the renaming of stations which are 'long-cherished'.

"Is that going to far?" he said. "I don't see us have a Sainsbury's Northern Line or whatever. I don't think Londoners would find that [acceptable]."