The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and London's Transport Commissioner Andy Lord, were joined by family, friends and colleagues of the London transport workers who tragically lost their lives to coronavirus, to unveil a new permanent memorial in their honour.
Since March 2020, more than 100 transport workers have passed away due to coronavirus. These workers across London's Tube, rail, buses, taxi and private hire services worked to keep London moving throughout the pandemic. The new permanent memorial unveiled by the Mayor and Commissioner yesterday paid tribute to the critical role they played in London's fight against the global pandemic.
The new memorial has been installed on a pedestrian square on Braham Street in Aldgate, and contains a plaque paying tribute to London's transport workers alongside benches and new plants. This includes a Foxglove Tree planted beside the memorial, to create a space for quiet reflection and remembrance for friends, families and colleagues of those who passed away.
Yesterday, the Transport Commissioner, and the Mayor, spoke at a memorial event with families, friends and colleagues of those who sadly passed away to unveil the new plaque and laid tributes, accompanied by songs by London's Transport Choir.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: ""It's an honour to commemorate the more than 100 transport workers who lost their lives in the service of our city."
"When the entire nation was gripped by fear they did not waver. They ensured our phenomenal NHS workers could still care for our friends and family, our shopworkers and delivery drivers could still meet our basic needs and our care workers could still look after our most vulnerable.
"They were there for us and we are duty bound to remember that we only prevailed because they persevered. This memorial will stand here for all time as an expression of the debt we owe for the sacrifice they made."
London's Transport Commissioner, Andy Lord, said: "This memorial pays tribute to our colleagues who helped the capital when it was needed the most, but we sadly lost to coronavirus. Their tragic loss is devastating for us all and we owe them our gratitude and must never forget them.
"They played a critical part in keeping London moving throughout the pandemic. While they paid the ultimate sacrifice, I have no doubt that they also helped save many lives by ensuring other key workers, such as doctors and nurses, got to work so they could in turn help to save others."
For more information about the memorial, please visit https://tfl.gov.uk/memorial
Notes to editors
- The London Transport Workers Coronavirus Memorial is located close to a number of public transport options (Aldgate Tube station on the Metropolitan, and Circle line, and Aldgate East Tube station on the District line Hammersmith and City line) as well as several bus routes and Cycleway 2. There are numerous cycle parking options close by and a Santander Cycle Hire docking station on Mansell Street. There are also pay and display parking bays located nearby on Alie Street
- The wider improvement works to Braham Street have been jointly funded by TfL and by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets through local developer funding.