All-night weekend train services will be launched on part of the London Overground network by the end of the year.

Passengers travelling on parts of the East London line – which serves Wapping, Shadwell and Whitechapel – will be able to board trains throughout Friday and Saturday nights from December.

The new schedule will enable passengers to connect with all-night Tube services, which began in August last year.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Our Night Tube services have been a real success right across the capital, so I’m delighted to announce that we’ll be bringing the Night Overground to the East London line later this year.”

All-night Overground services will initially run between New Cross Gate and Dalston Junction before extending to Highbury & Islington next year.

Only a small proportion of the network will run through the night as most Overground trains operate on Network Rail tracks, which are also used by other train companies, freight and maintenance services.