Forget hot dog and cheese ads. TfL needs to stop a Bakerloo Line disaster first
The Bakerloo Line is at risk of failing as cash-strapped TfL can’t afford new trains. So why on earth is it wasting its time banning revenue-making hot dog adverts, Guy Taylor asks
Any regular users of the Bakerloo or Central Lines will know what a dire state they are in.
Aside from being roasted alive in a literal oven, commuters are subject to regular delays and cancellations because cash-strapped Transport for London (TfL) can’t afford to buy new trains.
The Bakerloo Line’s rolling stock, built when Ted Heath was still PM, is now more than 16 years past its intended life span, prompting campaigners to warn of a possible “critical failure.”
The Central Line meanwhile is suffering from a train shortage and has at points operated with under half of the 78 trains needed to run a peak service.
So what are TfL executives pre-occupying themselves with? Hot dog and cheese adverts.
London’s transport operator caused uproar recently when it forced the comedian Ed Gamble to swap hot dog for cucumber in Tube adverts for his new show, ‘Hot Diggity Dog,’ on health grounds.
It feels as if TfL is constantly embroiled in some sort of controversy over ludicrous ad bans. In September, it made another stink after nixing a Workspace advert depicting artisan cheese.
And in July, TfL bosses deemed the use of a cake on a poster for a West End play too much for Londoners. Granted, it was a double-tier Victoria sponge.
Promoting healthy eating is important but TfL’s ad policy makes no sense. Bans on hot dogs and cheese come despite Sadiq Khan breaking a manifesto pledge to stop gambling ads, which are arguably more harmful.
There was also a period London buses were broadcasting ads for disposable vapes, before an intervention by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). There are around 36 adverts for ‘tobacco and accessories’ across the TfL network, per its most recent report.
Leaving ethics aside, TfL loses vital cash when it bars adverts – cash which could be used to help upgrade its creaking infrastructure and improve areas where there is sub-standard service.
The importance of its commercial media revenue was demonstrated clearly during Covid-19, when the operator lost £100m as advertisers disappeared amid a dearth of passengers.
As of 2022/23, commercial ad revenue represented approximately 10 per cent of TfL’s non-fare revenue, coming in at £144.9m. The ban on junk food ads cost an estimated £25m per year leading up to the pandemic, industry experts said at the time.
TfL should leave ad decisions to the ad watchdog, and take what advertising money comes its way to help fix its current cash crunch.
The list of things TfL needs funding for is extensive and not limited to just the Bakerloo and Central Lines’ rickety old trains.
Sadiq Khan has warned the operator doesn’t have enough for new trams in Croydon or Crossrail 2, which would be a massive shame given the remarkable success of the Elizabeth Line since its launch.
TfL had sought £500m from government ahead of the latest funding deal but received only £250m.
Whitehall deserves some stick, but TfL should be held responsible for its own financial “cliff-edge”. It has become an all too easy cop out for Khan to claim the government hasn’t helped.
Political tensions, however, may ease should Keir Starmer win the election, bringing the merry go-round of negotiations forward to some degree.
However, a slew of issues despite more than £6bn in government funding since Covid-19 proves TfL needs to get better at finding its own sources of money.
More advertising won’t solve all the problems. But as scrutiny builds over poor service, TfL can’t afford to be nitpicking.