The West Anglia lines are to become part of the Overground network report the Evening Standard and Hackney Gazette with Hackney gaining 6 new Overground stations: London Fields, Hackney Downs, Rectory Road, Stoke Newington, Stamford Hill and Clapton.

According to TfL's latest business plan the move could see improvements to 23 stations and 30 new four-car electric trains replacing the current ones.  

Together with the recently approved plans for a Hackney Downs/Hackney Central pedestrian link this will mean a boost for public transport in Hackney with much more of the borough benefiting from Overground levels of service.

The expected service frequency has not yet been announced, though additional services were mooted in the Mayor's Rail Vision for London.

TfL’s Director of London Overground, Mike Stubbs, said: “In July 2013 the Secretary of State agreed to devolve some West Anglia Main Line services to the Mayor and we are working with the Department for Transport and Abellio Greater Anglia to deliver a full transfer in 2015. We are currently in the process of determining what further improvements need to be made at stations and on trains on the routes and a programme to deliver these once the railway has transferred."

Ray King, of theCambridge Heath and London Fields Rail Users Group, said: “We’ve been campaigning for better transport networks for this area for over 13 years now and the service previously has been minuscule. Hundreds of rail users in this area say they need an improved service and the stations and trains are shoddy and in disrepair. When TfL acquires the West Anglia inner suburban services it will replace the 30-year-old carriages with 30 new four-car electric units, as well as procuring electric trains for the Gospel Oak to Barking line of the Overground."