AN INVITATION for private firms to bid for the new London Overground contract will lead to yet more chaos on the capital’s rail networks, it has been warned.

In a statement yesterday, Transport for London (TfL) confirmed it had launched the tendering process to run overground services from November 2016, with bidders having until mid-May to register their interest.

The firm said that the new contract would see the introduction of new trains, more frequent services, a continuing programme of station upgrades, options to introduce an all-night service at weekends and to extend Gospel Oak to Barking line services to Barking Riverside in 2019.

But RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “It is ridiculous that the same tired old bunch of spivs and chancers who have reduced London’s commuter services to chaos through their greed and incompetence are now being given a chance to have a fresh tilt at London Overground.

“The overwhelming majority would like to see this service, and the rest of our rail services, run in the public sector, in the public interest. But of course (London Mayor) Boris Johnson is happy to fly in the face of the people’s wishes and plough on with yet another disastrous round of privatisation.”

TfL’s director of London Rail Jonathan Fox said: “This is a very exciting time for London Overground as we expand our fleet and serve new parts of the capital.

“At end of May we will take over the running of local services out of Liverpool Street station to north-east London, which will also come under the new concession.

“This bidding process is vital to ensure London Overground’s performance is maintained and improved to make services even better for our customers.”