London Pride

Last Saturday we were celebrating Pride London with many thousands marching through the West End. Nothing was going to dampen spirits, not even the rain.

The first march took place 40 years ago, and over the decades it has become more of a carnival and less of a protest. For many years, the festival at the end of the march was held on Clapham Common or Finsbury Park. Nowadays it finishes in Trafalgar Square.

The Pride London event, supported by the Mayor, Boris Johnson, is currently organised by LGBT+ Community Pride who have a five year contract.

A dramatic new feature this year was a ‘rainbow crossing’ which replaced the usual one in Pall Mall East for the day. It was expertly laid down by our contractors and christened by Mike Freer MP, Stephen Greenhalgh, the Mayor’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, and TfL’s Martyn Loukes, Steve Allen and me. 

After we had posed for our ‘Abbey Road’ style photographs the crossing was declared open and it quickly became a huge attraction as everyone jostled to have their photo taken!

We then headed to Baker Street where the carnival was lining up. Numerous vehicles and floats from very many agencies and supporters were gathering together, notwithstanding the bursts of torrential rain.

Close to the very front of the parade was TfL’s own open top bus with Trevor Wright in charge and home to the TfL LGBT contingent. Ignoring the rain, the carnival moved off at 1pm and headed along Oxford Street, Regent Street, Lower Regent Street to Trafalgar Square. There were extraordinary crowds cheering along the entire route.

Such was the rain that our open top bus shipped huge quantities of water which eventually drenched poor Trevor and took out a number of the bus’ systems. Luckily the gear selection was unaffected so we kept moving but various other features (like doors, wipers and lights) took on a mind of their own. 

Aboard the bus numerous TV and radio interviews took place and the team took it in turns to march in front and around the bus passing out flyers and stickers to anyone and everyone.

And what about the rainbow crossing? 

Well of course, since it is NOT approved in the Traffic Signs and General Directions Regulations it had to be removed before general traffic returned. But the good news is that it was thoroughly cleaned and now resides at the Reception desk at TfL’s operational HQ at Palestra. Once again people are clamouring to have their photos taken on it!

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