TfL unveils new Pride design for bus and trains
By Noah Vickers, Local Democracy Reporter
A bus, Overground train and Elizabeth line train, each wrapped in a dazzling design to celebrate Pride, have been unveiled by Transport for London (TfL).
The wraps show a diverse group of Londoners from across the LGBTQ+ community, and the bus will also accompany people representing TfL in the Pride in London parade on Saturday.
Seb Dance, deputy mayor for transport, said in a speech unveiling the new designs: “My own coming out story was miserable when I was younger.
“My teachers couldn’t – wouldn’t – talk about the issue, and I had to fight it pretty much on my own.
“What a massive difference it would have made to a 16-year-old me, to see these buses and trains out on the network.
“So for every single person who’s going on their own journey – every journey matters, every story matters, and these wraps are a testament to the wonderful fabric of diversity in this city.”
Customers using the route 63 bus between Honor Oak and King’s Cross can already see the design, which has been on display since mid-June.
The design will also be featured on a fourth vehicle, an Underground engineering train used for maintenance on the network.
The Elizabeth line wrap is expected to remain in place for about 18 months, with the Overground design retained for about a year before being reviewed, and the bus wrap will stay for several months.
TV personality and dancer Queen Mojo said: “I am so excited, because having these stories and the pictures of different people, of different sizes, ages and abilities, shows people that the LGBTQ+ community is more inclusive than people think.
“They think it’s exclusive and it’s meant to be for us and us only – but look at the different types of people that we teach to love, to care about, to support.
“These stories out there are going to speak to people that maybe haven’t come out yet, haven’t embarked on their journey of self acceptance just yet, but this is promoting that.”
Pictured top: Queen Mojo in front of the new Pride trains (Picture: Noah Vickers)