TfL defends stance on Tube station sponsorship

Date: 4/6/2013

Suggestions that a one-year fare freeze could be paid for by raising money through arranging private sponsorship deals for the capital's Tube stations have been dismissed by (TfL) Transport for London.

London Assembly member Gareth Bacon claimed that the move could raise "hundreds of millions of pounds" for TfL, and would work on a similar basis to the deals offered in cities such as New York and Madrid where stations are renamed to accommodate sponsors.

However, TfL's Commercial Development Director Graeme Craig defended the organisation's position and explained why there are no plans to implement a system.

"I don't think it's right to sell off Tube stations to someone waving a cheque book and offering a bad pun," he said.

"A Tube map is to show people where a station is and renaming would bring about confusion, especially among the 30 million visitors on the network every year."

He added that TfL already strikes agreements that do not go as far as renaming stations, with single companies paying for exclusive advertising rights in locations such as Canary Wharf.

Posted by Sarah Bailey

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