The Metropolis

January's Tfl fare rises downgraded from "wallet-busting" to "eye-watering"

Mike Pollitt | Monday 28 November, 2011 12:07

George Osborne’s Plan A version 2 (Plan B? Not at all, old bean) means that next January’s Tfl fare rises will average 6% rather than 7% for Oyster PAYG, and 7% rather than 8% for Travelcards.

Woopdeedoo. This is still a hefty whack to put it mildly. And as we showed in graph form Mayor Johnson’s record as a fare riser is undeniable.

But what Osborne’s bail out does do is mitigate the effect of Ken Livingstone’s fare deal pledge, which was already shaping up to be a key part of his election campaign.

It still is, and Mayor Johnson is still vulnerable here (again, the chart!) But the fact that there’s been movement to limit the rises, albeit not much, albeit driven by central government, is going to muddy the waters a little. Sometimes in politics a bit of mud is all you need. Ken Livingstone is going to have to work a lot harder to get his message across.

So all in all, Mayor Johnson probably owes Gideon a bottle of Bolly.

Andrew Gilligan – Boris Johnson: Tube, bus and Travelcard fares will go up by less
Snipe – Those Tfl fare rises in handy chart form
Dave Hill – Ken launches ‘underdog’ campaign as Boris provides fares hike comparison

---