TfL seeks sponsor to ‘own’ branding of line

Transport for London (TfL) is offering a new partnership to a company willing to pay to sponsor the Waterloo & City line.

The line – which runs on weekdays between Bank and Waterloo Underground stations – was opened in July 1898 and is colloquially known as The Drain.

On a post on professional networking site LinkedIn, TfL said the sponsorship offer “goes far beyond a typical media opportunity”, although previous temporary brand “takeovers” of Tube stations have sparked complaints.

A TfL spokesperson said: “No line or stations will be renamed, but brands will have the chance to further incorporate their brand identity on platforms and in the train carriages, including on the seat moquette.”

The two-stop, three-minute shuttle service is one of only two Tube lines that runs completely underground, the other being the Victoria line.

TfL said: “It’s full-line branding, from moquette seat fabric and signage to maps and experiential spaces, all right in the heart of London’s business district.”

Moquette fabric is the durable, woollen seating material that is used in upholstery on Tube carriage seats, while an experiential space is described by TfL as a “pop-up presence for sampling and distribution in a pre-approved station space”.

TfL said: “Millions of professionals and decision-makers travel this route every year. Now, your brand can own the journey.”

Previous money-making marketing schemes on London Underground have created controversy.

In 2018, Southgate Tube station was rebranded Gareth Southgate station for 48 hours, after the England men’s football squad he managed finished fourth in the World Cup.

In 2023, Bond Street was briefly renamed Burberry Street by the fashion brand to mark London Fashion, which raised £200,000 for the transport company.

That led to more than 50 complaints to TfL with some passengers confused by the new temporary signage.

Transport for All, a transport advocacy group led by disabled people, warned last year that “thoughtless PR stunts being used to plug holes in TfL funding cannot be at the expense of accessibility and safety for disabled passengers”.

The group also said that “messing around with station names… stops many disabled people being able to travel confidently”.

TfL documents state that brand sponsorship on its network can cost up to £7.5m.

IFS Cloud’s sponsorship of the cable car that links North Greenwich and Custom House in east London is worth £2.1m.

The BBC formed a partnership with TfL in January 2022, rebranding Green Park station for 48 hours as Green Planet to promote Sir David Attenborough’s five-part series.

While brands have previously “taken over” one or more Underground stations for several days, if successful this initiative would be the first time an entire Tube line would get a sponsor, albeit one with just two stations.

A TfL spokesperson said: “This new opportunity on the Waterloo & City line is part of our ongoing work to find new ways brands can use our network to engage with their audiences as they travel across the city.

“All revenue generated through any brand partnerships with us will be invested into the wider transport network, helping to keep London moving.”