London Night Tube delayed: Who will be affected by the wait for the 24-hour service?
The service was originally planned for September
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The Night Tube in London will not be rolled out until 2016, after talks between Transport for London (TfL) bosses and unions broke down.
The service, which was due to start in September, will allow passengers to travel between Central London into the outskirts of London via the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, and Victoria lines for 24-hours on Fridays and Saturdays.
However, unions and TfL have been embroiled in a bitter row over the details of the plan, with workers striking over the summer in protest over shift patterns and fair pay.
So, who and what will be affected by the delay?
Homeowners
Better transport links make properties more desirable. So, the prospect of the night Tube was a welcome one for homeowners, who would have likely seen the value of their properties rise.
The potential impact of new transport services is reflected in a study by property adviser firm GVA, which found that Crossrail would increase residential and commercial value on the route by as much as £5.5billion between 2012 and 2021, City AM reported.
However, renters may be pleased by the delay, as it will help to keep spikes in payments at bay.
Pubs and clubs
As many punters will no longer be faced with a chilly wait at the bus stop and a likely long ride home, pubs, restaurants and clubs have welcomed the night service.
Baroness Jo Valentine, the chief executive of business lobby group London First, said the move will bring investment and jobs to the hospitality and entertainment sectors, the Financial Times reported.
It is hoped that this will bring London in line with other European cities, like Berlin, where the party goes on well past midnight.
Safety
Along with night-long services, a further 100 British Transport Police officers will patrol the 144 stations, according to TfL, meaning that travelling after dark on the weekends should become safer.
The delay to the service will also delay more patrols by BTP Police Community Support Officers.
Cabbies
Their bread and butter is driving people around at night when the prospect of a bus is too much to face, and the warmth of a taxi is the only other way to get home.
Those with travel cards will likely be even more tempted to jump on the Tube instead of calling a cab.
Additional reporting by PA
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