London Overground services to increase from next week
A part of the London Overground network will see increased trains due to Section 106 developer funding.
The Mildmay line between Clapham Junction and Shepherd’s Bush will see an increase of 20 per cent during the morning peak and 33 per cent in the evening peak totalling 16 additional peak‑time services each weekday.
Cash from developer London Olympia is boosting London Overground services up to sevens trains per hour from next Monday 18th May 2026.
Section 106 funding for the service increase will cover five years of operation. The five-year deal is worth up to £1.1m a year and will cover TfL’s net costs of operating the additional services on the Mildmay line, including driver recruitment and training.
It’s also funding upgrades to Olympia station with TfL stating:
“TfL has received £3,273,195.88 towards improvement works to mitigate the effects of the Development, including but not limited to works to provide additional gates, platform sheltering, customer improvements and removal of advertising at Kensington (Olympia) station.”
Further improvements
Later this year another section of the London Overground should see a boost when the Windrush line rises from 16 to 18 trains per hour in the December 2026 timetable change.
That increase through a stretch of line in east London is enabled by an increase from four to six trains per hour between Crystal Palace and Highbury & Islington.
Following that a further increase to 20 trains per hour will eventually be introduced by boosting trains between Clapham Junction and Dalston Junction from four to six trains per hour – though not until 2029.
Eventually train frequency may reach 24 trains per hour but that would be some way off.
Power upgrades to enable service increases was undertaken in 2023.
This is good news for passengers who live near the over ground station and use the services that are due to see services increased.
We need to see improvements across the board with improved frequencies on.the DLR, underground services and bus services across Greater London
Bus services in London have seen seen frequencies cut on many routes in areas of Out of London who have very little or no access to the Underground DLR or Ovetground services..
Would be optional to order few more Class 710/1s that are operating on the Weaver Line (Lea Valley Lines) and to increase the capacity to 8-Car (2x 4-Car) Class 710/1 trains operating on the London Liverpool Street-Chingford, Cheshunt and Enfield Town services. And with 1 Class 710/1 operating on the Liberty Line (Romford-Upminster shuttle).
And maybe to add few more Class 710/3s for the proposed West London Orbital route (Cricklewood or Hendon-Brentford/Kew Gardens). With AC 25kv OHL electrification on the Dudding Hill line and DC 750v 3rd Rail electrification between South Acton-Brentford/Kew Gardens.
With London Overground services to increase on some of its 6 lines. Perhaps TfL could improve the London Overground lot better with its railway stations that aren’t step-free accessible.
And to upgrade stations on the Mildmay Line, Windrush Line, Weaver Line, Lionesses Line and Suffragette Line to become step-free accessible stations with ramps or lifts.
And to add a new lift on platform 6 at Upminster station on the Liberty Line as platforms 1, 2-3 and 4-5 do have lifts but platform 6 doesn’t have a lift. And to open new stations including Surrey Canal in Bermondsey and Old Oak Common Lane and Hythe Road stations close to Old Oak Common station in West London.
London Overground should consider opening new stations including opening a new station at Surrey Canal Road in Bermondsey to serve Millwall FC “The New Den stadium”.