Transport for London (TfL) has marked another branded first with the renaming of a full Tube line. For two weeks in January, the network’s Bakerloo line has become the Bakerl0.0 line, as part of a sponsorship agreement with Heineken to promote its non-alcoholic beer. Additionally, both Waterloo and Oxford Circus have received the ‘0.0’ branding on station signage.
This follows the news last summer that TfL was opening its doors to full line sponsorships, with Heineken following a number of brands including Burberry, Samsung and PlayStation to have developed branded partnerships which temporarily led to changes to TfL station signage.
As with previous TfL sponsorships, this latest move has divided opinion. While many accept the changes as a way for the network to raise much-needed funds, disability groups are among those to express concern about the potential impact on passenger accessibility.
