From 2 January 2027 you can leave Angel Tube station at weekends but not start a journey there. The council leader says she is deeply concerned. What changes.
Angel Tube station will be exit-only on weekends and bank holidays from Saturday 2 January 2027. Passengers will be able to get off there, but not start a journey. There is no end date: TfL says the change runs “until further notice”.
The reason is the escalators. Some are nearly 35 years old and are becoming less reliable and harder to maintain, TfL said on Tuesday.
Islington Council’s leader, Cllr Una O’Halloran, said today she is “deeply concerned”. She also criticised how late the council and the community were brought in. Her statement is on the council’s newsroom.
What changes, and when
- From Saturday 2 January 2027: exit-only on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays.
- Monday to Friday: the station runs normally. You can enter and leave at all times.
- How long: until further notice. TfL has given no end date.
Why TfL is doing it
Angel has two banks of escalators. The upper bank runs from the ticket hall to a mid-level concourse. TfL says these are the longest escalators on the Tube, at over 60 metres long with more than 27 metres of vertical rise.
One of the three in that upper bank has been out of service since April 2026 because of its condition. That leaves two working. If both of those failed at the same time, TfL says the station would have to close to everyone. There would be no other safe way to clear it. The escalators are too long to be used as a fixed staircase.
The escalators run 19 hours a day in normal service. Going exit-only at weekends cuts 38 hours a week of running, TfL says. That is 152 hours over four weeks, a reduction of 28.6 per cent.
TfL blames “historic shortfalls in Government funding” for the fact that it has not been able to replace them. It says it is still looking at options for renewal, repair and replacement.
Richard Jones, Director of Asset Performance Delivery for London Underground, said:
“The escalators at Angel have been in service for almost 35 years and are becoming less reliable and increasingly difficult to maintain. Their size means renewal or replacement is a challenging, expensive project and we are currently exploring all options possible to extend their working life.
“Making the station exit-only during specific periods will allow us to extend the working life of the escalators and give us more time to plan our next steps, with design work on replacing the escalators to begin this autumn.”
TfL says more people leave Angel than enter it at weekends and on bank holidays, and that weekend use is generally lower than in the week.
What the council says
Cllr O’Halloran accepts the repairs are needed. Her objection is to how long the change will last and how it was handled.
“Angel is one of Islington’s most vibrant and important neighbourhoods, with a thriving mix of independent businesses, cultural venues, and a strong local community.
“We understand the need for TfL to carry out essential maintenance to ensure Angel tube station remains safe, but we are deeply concerned about the impact of TfL’s decision to make it exit-only at weekends for a prolonged period. Making it harder for people to reach Angel risks affecting local businesses, jobs, and the wider area.
“We have raised our concerns directly with TfL regarding the handling of the situation, and the way that the council and local community were brought into the conversation at a late stage.”
She wants TfL to work with the council, businesses and residents to keep disruption down.
“We now want to see TfL work closely with the council, local businesses, and the community to minimise disruption, and to explore what more can be done to support Angel during this period.
“Our priority, as ever, is to champion the interests of our residents, businesses, and cultural institutions: we will continue to make their views heard, as we push for the best possible outcome for Angel.”
TfL’s account is different. It says it engaged with local businesses and stakeholders while drawing up the plan. It also says it held meetings with local elected representatives, and that those meetings shaped its approach. TfL says it has done all it can to limit the impact on businesses over Christmas, which is why the change starts in January.
What it means for you
Weekday commuting from Angel is unaffected. At weekends, plan to start your Tube journey somewhere else. TfL suggests three stations:
- King’s Cross St Pancras, about 1km away. Buses 30, 73, 205, 214 and 476 link it to Angel.
- Old Street, about 1.5km away. Buses 43, 205 and 214.
- Highbury & Islington. Buses 4, 19, 30 and 43.
Coming to Angel at the weekend still works: you can arrive by Tube and leave the station as usual. TfL says a customer information campaign will run before the change and into the new year.
Journey times and fares from the other Islington stations are on our Islington Tube times page. Current closures are on Islington roadworks and travel.
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