Tuesday 1 Jul 2025
TfL celebrates 20-year anniversary of OUTbound LGBTQ+ colleague network group ahead of this year’s Pride in London parade
- TfL is celebrating 20 years of OUTbound, TfL's colleague LGBTQ+ community, with series of staff portrait posters across the network
- TfL will present a bus in the Pride in London parade this weekend, with staff wearing newly designed T-shirts associated to this year’s theme:, activism and social change
- Those attending Pride in London parade this weekend are advised to check the TfLGo app or Journey Planner before travelling
PN-072
Transport for London (TfL) is celebrating 20 years of its LGBTQ+ colleague community OUTbound across the transport network ahead of the Pride in London parade on Saturday 5 July.
TfL’s colleague network group, which was founded in 2005 and has more than 900 members, aims to support anyone who identifies as being LGBTQ+. It also works to help increase awareness and understanding of the LGBTQ+ community throughout the transport industry.
Across the transport network, customers will be able to see portrait posters of staff who have made huge contributions to LGBTQ+ community within TfL and across the transport industry, alongside portraits with local activist groups and organisations that have been in the forefront of social change in London.
TfL will once again be taking part in the Pride in London parade this weekend with a bus containing TfL staff who will be wearing newly designed T-shirts that represent this year's theme, activism and social change. This is the 20th year in row that TfL has taken part in Pride in London parade as TfL continues to be a proud community partner of Pride.
For Londoners and visitors to the capital travelling to Pride this weekend, central London will be busier than usual. Parade participants should arrive at Bond Street, Hyde Park Corner or Marble Arch stations. Those who wish to watch the parade or attend events at Trafalgar Square or in Soho are encouraged to arrive at Bond Street, Charing Cross, Embankment, Leicester Square, Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road or Victoria. Some stations may be exit-only, and this will be implemented as needed. The music event, BST, is taking place at Hyde Park and Marble Arch, Bond Street, Hyde Park Corner and Knightsbridge stations will be busy. TfL advise those attending events in the capital to plan their journeys ahead of time using the TfLGo app or Journey Planner.
London's Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, said: “I'm proud we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of TfL's OUTbound colleague network group. Reaching this incredible milestone is a massive achievement and the role of the group is so valued in championing the LGBTQ+ community as well as representing equality and support for all staff across TfL. It's really fitting we are marking 20 years of OUTbound by recognising staff who have made significant contributions to the LGBTQ+ community ahead of what promises to be another memorable Pride in London parade.”
London’s Transport Commissioner, Andy Lord, said: “TfL's OUTbound colleague network group has been, and continues to be, a huge support for TfL's LGBTQ+ community. Their contributions and progress over the last 20 years has been incredible as they continue to break down barriers across the transport industry.
“We are delighted to once again be taking part in Pride in London parade and continuing our proud partnership with the Pride team. We hope everyone has a tremendous day celebrating Pride, but also continuing to push for change, which is highlighted by this year's theme activism and social change. ”
For Pride month, TfL continues to display posters across London's transport network, which highlight the importance of reporting any hate crime to the police and encourages people to become active bystanders.
TfL remains committed to supporting the Mayor’s vision of eliminating identity-based hate crime from the city. To ensure that all customers feel safe on the network, TfL continues efforts to make the process of reporting hate-crimes easier.
Contact Information
TfL Press Office
Transport for London
0343 222 4141
pressoffice@tfl.gov.uk
Notes to editors
Community photos taken by Cherry Au Hon I
- Switchboard, pictured at Bishopsgate Institute
The nation’s LGBTQ+ support line, Switchboard, provides vital help and information on everything related to sexuality and gender identity. Launched in March 1974, Switchboard has supported the LGBTQ+ community for five decades, aiding more than four million people since the service began. Switchboard was photographed at Bishopsgate Institute, which holds its archive – part of the largest LGBTQ+ archive in the UK. To learn more about its collections, visit https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/
- Terrence Higgins Trust, Dan Glass and ACT UP London at Queer Britain’s ‘Terry Higgins Memorial Quilt’ exhibition
Two leading UK organisations associated with the fight against HIV/AIDS are The Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) and the Aids Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP). THT’s mission is to end new cases of HIV by 2030 and support those living with HIV. Multi-talented activist Dan Glass represents the London chapter of ACT UP – an international, grassroots political group working to end the AIDS pandemic. Queer Britain, the UK’s first and only LGBTQ+ museum, is currently exhibiting the Terry Higgins Memorial Quilt.
- Lady Phyll, pictured at Queer Britain’s ‘20 Years of UK Black Pride’ exhibition
Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, known by many as Lady Phyll, is a powerhouse celebrated for her advocacy work on racial, gender and LGBTQ+ equality. Lady Phyll is also the co-founder of UK Black Pride, taking the event from a small gathering in Southend-on-Sea to the world’s largest celebration for the Black and people of colour LGBTQ+ community. Queer Britain is the UK’s first and only LGBTQ+ museum, curating queer history and culture. It is currently exhibiting ‘20 Years of UK Black Pride’, curated by Lady Phyll herself.
Staff portrait photos taken by Luca Marino
- Claire, she/her, Local Engagement Manager, Chair of OUTbound
Claire works with local boroughs as a liaison for the organisation, meeting with officials and community groups to discuss transport projects. She is also a longtime activist, lobbying her parents as a child to recycle before it was the norm.
- Hakan, he/him, Customer Service Manager
Hakan is a manager for stations in central London, responsible for ensuring the smooth and safe running of the station and the best possible experience for customers. He is from Turkey, where he was active in the LGBTQ+ community, helping to create an environment where young people felt able to be themselves.
- Dani, they/them, Stores Operative
Dani makes sure that signalling teams have the equipment they need to carry out maintenance and repairs on the network, so that trains can run.
- Alexander, he/him, Service Manager and Vice-Chair of OUTbound
Alexander is one of our leaders for Bakerloo line service control, managing resources and responding to any incidents. He is known in TfL for creating bespoke pin badges for our colleague network groups as a fundraising tool. To date this has raised more than £25,000 for LGBTQ+ charities and thousands more for other worthwhile charities, but these badges also allow all colleagues to show their allyship.
- Jack, he/him, Signal Support Technician
Jack is involved in the maintenance of the signals on our network, ensuring that our trains can run on time. He wants to make sure people are aware of the contributions that the LGBTQ+ community make to science, technology, engineering and math careers during Pride.
- Monica, she/her, Transport Support Officer
Monica patrols our network to keep our customers and colleagues safe, working on our stations and on buses. She is thankful for everyone who took part in Pride movements before her, enabling her to live the life that she does now. She is participating in this portrait project because it is something that she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do earlier in her life.
Full list of participants in the portrait poster series:
- ACTUP
- Dan Glass
- Gay Liberation Front
- Julie Hayward and Gwen Jones
- Lady Phyll
- London Friend
- Sue Sanders
- Switchboard
- The Outside Project
- Terrence Higgins Trust
- TransActual
- The community photos are by Cherry Au Hon I
- The staff portrait photos are by Luca Marino
Full list of venues taking part in the portrait poster series:
- Bishopsgate Institute
- Outside Project’s Trans Winter Shelter
- Queer Britain
- London School of Economics
- The Common Press
- Ye Olde Rose and Crowne Greenwich
Timeline of transport inclusivity changes for LGBTQ+ communities:
1970s - Dave Hirst was one of the first ‘out’ LGBTQ+ drivers and their presence at Parson's Green Depot on the District line resulted in a reputation as a ‘Pink depot’ - an LGBTQ+ safe space, which attracted many LGBTQ+ people for decades thereafter. In 2008, Dave was given an MBE in The Queens Birthday Honours list for his work with TfL and says this would not have happened if TfL hadn't been the kind of organisation that was forward-looking in terms of diversity and equality
1982 - London Transport Gay Workers Group participation in Pride
2005 - LGBT staff network formed, later renamed OUTbound
2006 - First official Transport for London participation in Pride
2007 - Achieved 8th position in Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, commended as most improved Public Sector body
2008 - Achieved 6th position in Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, commended as best practice for supplier diversity
2009 - Achieved 5th position in Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, commended as joint best practice for career development
2016 – LGBT+ traffic signals around Trafalgar Square for Pride in London
2017 – Mayor of London Sadiq Khan launches a ‘Love is love’ roundel. Pride roundels and benches at stations in following years
2017 – TfL starts to address the public with “everyone” in its station announcements, to embrace all gender identities
2023 – Pride-themed exhibition at Vauxhall Tube station
2023 – Wrapped bus takes part in the London Pride parade, along with wrapped trains, colleague artwork and external portraits
2024 – Wrapped IFS Cloud Cable Cars for Pride parade
2025 – 20th anniversary of OUTbound and TfL again participating in the annual Pride parade in London
Downloads
Powered by Onclusive PR Manager © 2025