London transport fares to rise 7% next year, says Boris Johnson

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

London transport fares to rise 7% next year, says Boris Johnson

Mayor's rivals attack fourth consecutive annual rise above rate of inflation for bus and tube users

Public transport fares in London will rise by an average of 7% from the start of next year, Boris Johnson has announced.

The Conservative mayor, who chairs the board of Transport for London, confirmed that the increase would be in line with TfL's business plan assumption of fares increasing by two percentage points above the retail price index of the preceding July ? which this year was 5%.

It will be the fourth consecutive annual rise above the rate of inflation since Johnson's election in 2008. With the cost of living in the capital likely to be a theme of next May's London elections, political opponents were quick to attack the decision.

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly spokesperson on transport, said: "Today's further rise will really hit hard many people, especially those on low incomes." She accused Johnson of failing to take effective action against fare evasion or waste in TfL.

The former mayor Ken Livingstone, who is Labour's challenger to Johnson for the mayoralty, described the impending rises as "stealth taxes" and accused Johnson of "failing to put Londoners first" while arguing for "tax cuts for the rich" ? a reference to the mayor's public opposition to the government's 50p tax rate for the highest earners.

Earlier this year Livingstone promised he would "try to make certain that fares do not rise beyond inflation", although he added that he could not guarantee this, because of doubts over the level of government transport grant to London in future.

Defending the new package during his monthly mayor's question time session, Johnson described his approach to fares as a "moderate policy, which is designed to ensure that we have the investment that we need in London's transport infrastructure".

He stressed that the new package would protect the existing range of discounts and free travel entitlement for the elderly, the disabled, jobseekers, young people and armed service veterans.

He said bus fares in London continued to be "extremely competitive by comparison with elsewhere in the country" and pointed out that bus and tube ridership continued to grow despite the effects of the recession.

The detailed fares package shows that the price of a single bus journey using an Oyster smart card will rise to �1.40 from 2 January 2012, compared with �1.30 now and 90p when Johnson came to power.

Oyster Underground fares will go up by between 10p and 30p, depending on the travel zones passed through and time of day.

Daily peak time travelcards will go up from �8 to �8.60, from �10 to �10.80 and from �15 to �16 depending on the zones covered.

A seven-day travelcard covering the central zone 1 area and zone 2 will rise from 27.60 to 29.80. An annual pass covering all zones and transport modes will cost �2,176, rising from �2,016.

All travelcards will rise by approximately 8% as they encompass parts of National Rail services.

Dave Hill