TfL told the Publican’s Morning Advertiser that it has “looked very carefully at the options” and decided that increasing the number of night buses would be “the best way” to ensure football fans get home safely after watching the football.
It added that unlike the Olympics, when it ran later services, there is not one fixed location for fans watching the football, “just an unquantifiable expectation that some people will go to pubs around Greater London to watch it”.
The last Tube trains currently leave central London at around 12:30am on weekends and England’s latest match, on Saturday 14 June, begins at 11pm.
A TfL spokesman also refuted claims in The Metro yesterday, which reported that TfL said it could not keep the Tube open for an extra hour as it did not have enough notice. The spokesman said the approach “had been decided some time ago”.
The Home office confirmed in March that it would allow pubs to stay open late for England’s World Cup matches, following calls from the Prime Minister for the department to reconsider its decision not to allow late licenses.
'National interest'
Dave Evans, managing director at Sports Bar & Grill, which has five venues in the capital, said he is “very unhappy” about the decision.
“The World Cup, with England playing, is of national interest. People want to go and celebrate and watch it with their friends and they want to be able to get home safely as people who live in a metropolis like London should be able to do. [TfL] have had eight years to organise themselves,” he told the PMA.
However, Evans said he did not think the news would affect trade as the public’s “national spirit will shine through”.
“People will walk home, cycle home, jump on buses, share taxis – they’ll still watch it. But the fact of the matter is, they should be able to enjoy the amenities a capital city like London should provide in 2014.”
The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) also said it was disappointed at TfL’s decision but welcomed the extra night buses.
BBPA chief executive said: “In the future, I hope that TfL can put in place a more flexible system for their customers on these big occasions.
“We hope that for all World Cup matches fans will know that they can head to their favourite London local to savour the atmosphere. Apart from being there, there’s nowhere better than the pub to cheer on England.”
The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers tweeted their disappointment yesterday evening:
Nigel Wright, chief operating officer of managed pub and bar group TCG, said: “London is a global city and there will be football fans from every country in the tournament enjoying the big games in the capital’s pubs and bars.
“TCG’s venues are celebrating a Festival of Football, and it isn’t the best advert for London’s nightlife when our public transport doesn’t dovetail with a major event such as the World Cup, so it’s a shame that TfL doesn’t seem to have taken that into account.”
Leon Daniels, TfL’s managing director of surface transport, said: “The extra buses will supplement the existing extensive 24-hour and night bus service, which is already one of the most extensive anywhere in the world.
“This is by far the most effective way of getting people home all over the capital.
"We will also be arranging special marshalled taxi ranks for those who would prefer to travel home that way."