Transport for London has awarded an eight-year concession for London Overground to FirstGroup, but the RMT has described the decision as ‘outrageous’.

The original London Overground lines were launched by London’s first elected Mayor Ken Livingstone in 2007, and the new contract with First Rail London Ltd will replace Arriva’s concession to run Overground, which expires on 3 May 2026.

Transport for London has outlined a number of improvements, including extra peak-time trains on the Mildmay line from May 2026, with shuttle services between Clapham Junction and Shepherd’s Bush during the peaks.

There will also be more trains on the Windrush line from December 2026, with services through the core section of the route increasing to 18 trains an hour.

TfL is pledging a ‘relentless focus’ on safety and ‘strong collaboration with partners’ such as Network Rail and Alstom, whose predecessor Bombardier built the first Overground fleet.

Other benefits will be ‘investment in people and technology to improve reliability, manage disruption, and provide better customer information’, as well as infrastructure upgrades on the Mildmay line, more effective integration with other modes, particularly buses, using departure displays at stations, and accessibility improvements.

David Thomas is head of concession for London Overground. He said: ’Overground is one of the most popular parts of our transport network, and this new concession puts customers at its heart, helping make the service even better. We’re delighted to welcome First Rail London Limited as our preferred new partner and look forward to working together to deliver a range of benefits for everyone who uses the network.’

FirstGroup, which is set to lose its remaining National Rail contracts by 2027, said it was ‘delighted’. CEO Graham Sutherland added that First was looking forward ‘to welcoming employees who will be joining the Group and to play our part in the success of this vital rail network’.

However the RMT has reacted with dismay, and pledged to resist the transfer of any more National Rail routes to the Overground system.

The union’s general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: ‘Despite the Mayor saying he backs public ownership of rail, the London Overground is being reprivatised on a lucrative eight-year deal that puts profit before passengers. It’s beyond belief, especially when a Labour government is bringing the railways back into public hands.

‘This is another outrageous decision, landing on the same day we learn that cleaning staff are to be outsourced again despite previous commitments to bring them in-house. Transport in London is being turned into a haven for exploitative outsourcing and privatisation and RMT will not accept it.

‘We will oppose any attempt by TfL to secure devolved control over publicly owned Great British Railways services while it continues down this path.’

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