London’s Jubilee line will be renamed to celebrate Pride
Transport for London has announced that the Jubilee line will be renamed the Pride line – in honour of LGBT equality.
It was confirmed last month that the Crossrail extension to the London Underground network will be named the Elizabeth line in honour of the Queen.
PinkNews can exclusively reveal today that due to the creation of the Elizabeth line, the Jubilee line – which was dedicated to the Queen for her Silver Jubilee in 1977 – will be renamed to avoid confusion.
The line, which runs from Stanmore to Stratford, will be re-branded as the Pride line to celebrate London’s diversity, and will get a rainbow make-over so that it is more distinctive on tube maps.
The re-brand comes after a suggestion from TfL LGBT staff network OUTbound – and follows the launch of a rainbow bus and rainbow taxi in the city.
Mike Brown, London’s Transport Commissioner told PinkNews: “The Pride line is a great addition to the London transport network and is a fantastic way for us to celebrate diversity in this great city.
“London is the tourism capital of the world and it is fantastic that everyone who lives, visits or works in London will have an opportunity to see our beacon of diversity.
“What better way to add to our growing fleet of rainbow vehicles than an entire line?”
Mayor of London Boris Johnson told PinkNews: “I am thrilled to welcome the Pride line to London’s thriving transport network, where it will serve as a reminder of the struggle of LGBT people across our great capital.
“It is fantastic to see a rainbow going past the Houses of Parliament, as a reminder of the fantastic progress we have made – and that yet to come.”
A Buckingham Palace insider said: “The Queen was delighted to have just one tube line named in her honour, but was of the opinion that two is rather excessive.
“She is overjoyed with the new Elizabeth line, and happy the Jubilee line will be renamed in honour of the LGBT community, given the many homosexuals who have spent decades serving in the royal household.”
However, not everyone is pleased with the decision.
Andrea Williams of Christian Concern warned that the decision is a “blatant attempt by the LGBT lobby to attempt to influence innocent children”.
She added: “Not one Underground line is named after God or Jesus, which would seem the obvious choice.
“We are very concerned about what this means about the future of Britain’s Christian values.”
The Pride line will be officially named in a ceremony on April 31.
