What to expect
-
Bring
A placard if you have one, and something bright to wear: it will be dark. We’ll have spares.
-
Find us
Outside the station on Upper Richmond Road. Look for the green and white.
-
Group photo
6:15pm, in front of the station. If you can only come for one moment, make it this one.
- How long should I stay?
- As long or as little as you like. People come and go all evening.
- Can I bring children?
- Yes.
- What if it rains?
- It goes ahead. Wrap up warm.
- Is this a protest?
- It’s a peaceful demonstration on the public pavement. Station entrances and step-free routes stay clear, and station staff and the British Transport Police are being informed as a courtesy.
- Can I help on the night?
- Yes: flyers, photographs and posting on social media. Say so in the WhatsApp community.
Why East Putney
East Putney is where TfL’s new signalling stops. From here to Wimbledon the branch runs on signalling dating back to the 1980s, and there is no funded plan to replace it.
- In 2020 TfL decided the District line’s western branches would not be re-signalled.
- The £500,000 announced before the 2026 Championships patches the old equipment; it doesn’t replace it.
- We’re asking TfL to study it, and the Government to fund it.
Not on WhatsApp?
We’ll email you about this demonstration and the rest of the campaign. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Sign the petition
Can’t make it on the night? Signing counts just as much, and so does sending this page to a fellow passenger.
Press pack
Media advisory, key facts and downloads
Press pack
Media advisory, key facts and downloadsFor journalists and editors. Spokespeople: Max Barber and Susan Cusack. Please contact us at campaign@fixthedistrict.org and we'll arrange an interview on the evening.
Media advisory
- What
- A peaceful commuter demonstration asking TfL to study modern signalling for the District line's Wimbledon branch, and the Government to fund it.
- When
- Thursday 3 December 2026, 5:30pm to 7pm.
- Where
- Outside East Putney station, Upper Richmond Road, London SW15 2SZ — public pavement. East Putney is where TfL’s new signalling stops.
- Who
- Fix The District, a volunteer campaign of District line passengers on the Wimbledon branch, with local residents and commuters. Spokespeople: Max Barber and Susan Cusack.
- Why
- The branch was dropped from Four Lines Modernisation in 2020 and has no funded replacement. Passengers have logged delays since February 2026 alongside TfL's own live status.
- Photo opportunity
- Group photograph at 6:15pm, with the campaign banner and station signage in frame. Testimony placards carry verbatim passenger reports. Vertical clips welcome.
- Contact
- campaign@fixthedistrict.org
About the campaign
Fix The District is a community campaign by District line passengers on the Wimbledon branch. Since February 2026 passengers have logged delays at fixthedistrict.org, and each report is recorded alongside TfL's live status at the time. The campaign uses that evidence, plus TfL and Network Rail Freedom of Information data, to ask TfL to commission a feasibility study of modern signalling for the branch, with Network Rail, and the Government to fund the fix it identifies. The branch was dropped from Four Lines Modernisation in 2020 with no funded replacement. A petition is open, addressed to TfL, the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Transport.
Key facts, with sources
-
“…the western branches of the District line will not be re-signalled… We will continue to assess whether we can convert this signalling in the future.”
TfL Programmes & Investment Committee, Investment Programme Report Q2 2020/21, 11 December 2020; repeated verbatim on 21 July 2021. Agenda and papers (PDF) →
-
“The 4LM project is replacing the signalling system as far as East Putney station.”
TfL, FOI-4657-2526, 7 April 2026. TfL's response →
-
Network Rail holds “no funding decisions, budget allocations, or timeline documents for any signalling replacement” for the branch.
Putney News, 2 May 2026. Read the report →
-
The £500,000 package announced before the 2026 Championships failed three times inside a fortnight.
Putney News, 12 July 2026. Read the report →
-
South Western Railway's operator transferred into public ownership on 25 May 2025.
Department for Transport. Announcement →
-
East Putney, Southfields, Wimbledon Park and Wimbledon together see 29.3 million station entries and exits a year.
TfL, Usage Statistics for London Stations 2025. Wimbledon's figure includes National Rail and tram.
