Travels with the Night Czar
LONDON’S newly appointed Night Czar Amy Lame met rail passengers on the Piccadilly Line to Heathrow as it launched its late run on Friday.
The debut move from the former presenter and club night runner will see her talk to rail users on board the tube line until 1am on the line’s first Night Tube journey.
She aims to speak to Londoners travelling in every borough and said it will be a great way to talk with people “who use the night time economy, people who have concerns, people who are coming back from night shifts and people going out”.
Writer, broadcaster, DJ, performer and campaigner, Amy will have the role of giving a boost to London’s flourishing cultural scene, which attracts millions of international visitors each year.
She will champion London’s nightlife both in the UK and internationally and will do vital work with the night time industries, local authorities, the Metropolitan Police, Transport for London and the public to “ensure London thrives as a 24hour city”.
She said: “It’s a privilege to be London’s very first Night Czar.
“I can’t wait to hit the streets and have loads of ideas of what I can do for revellers, night-time workers, businesses and stakeholders.
“For too long, the capital’s night-time industry has been under pressure – music venues and nightclubs in particular are closing at an alarming rate.
“With the advent of the Night Tube, and the Mayor’s commitment to protect iconic venues across the city, I’m confident that I can inspire a positive change in the way people think about the night time economy.
“I look forward to bringing together local authorities, the police, Transport for London and many other people from across the night time industries to transform London into a truly 24hour city.”
The launch of the Piccadilly night line has been marred in complaints and backlash from commuters unhappy with the delays to the service. Repairs to wheels have meant up to 20 minute delays and TfL has not been able to guarantee the timetables for the nighttime service.
A London Underground source said: “At the moment, the Night Tube will be going ahead. We’re not entirely sure yet as to how the timetable will work, we have improvements on the line each day.
“We can’t say for sure but as it stands, it’s still launching as expected.”
The RMT Union has claimed the delays will last until February , something which TfL has denied.