It has been revealed that Transport for London (TfL) raised £500,000 last year by temporarily changing the names of two subway stations.

Old Street became Fold Street last month, raising £300,000 in a partnership with Samsung, while Bond Street was renamed Burberry Street last September, raising £200,000.

Transport for All, a disability-led campaign group, said: “Thoughtless PR stunts to plug holes in TfL’s funding cannot come at the expense of accessibility and safety for disabled passengers.”

TfL stated that “all revenue from these partnerships will be reinvested in the transport network”.

There were 57 complaints about the renaming of Bond Street, but none about Old Street, a response to a Freedom of Information request reveals.

Old Street’s roundels and station signage were changed between 24 and 28 July, while Bond Street was renamed between 15 and 19 September 2023.

Emma Vogelmann, head of policy, campaigns and public affairs at Transport for All, said: “We all need accurate information to use the Tube – maps and signs are part of that.

“Playing around with station names and round signs prevents many disabled people from travelling confidently.”

A TfL spokesperson said: “Partnerships like this help us and the brands to positively engage with the hundreds of thousands of people who pass through our stations in a fun and playful way, while ensuring they can use our network safely.”

“The signage on the trains, including the digital displays in the carriage showing the next station, the automatic train announcements and the route maps on the trains, have not been changed as part of the temporary takeover.”