The Scoop

Boris Johnson announces fourth year of above inflation fare rises

Adam Bienkov | Friday 2 December, 2011 09:40

Many fares in London will rise by 2% above inflation this January, despite a government cap announced this week.

Average fare rises will be set at just under RPI +1%, but many fares will rise by 7.5% and some by even 8% next year.

Most child Pay As You Go rail fares will rise by 7.7% whilst a single Oyster Pay As You Go adult tube fare zones 1-2 will rise by 8% to £2.70.

TfL estimate that the rises will net them an extra £172 million worth of revenue next year.

Following the grant announced this week by George Osborne, many other fares will rise below inflation.

Bus and tram fares will also rise by much less than previous years, with a single Pay As You Go fare rising by just 5p.

However, this will still leave single bus and tram Oyster fares 50% more expensive than they were in 2008.

Fare rises are also expected to go back up to RPI+ 2% after the Mayoral election if Boris Johnson wins.

This is despite a promise from Boris not to hold down fares before an election and then “whack them up cynically thereafter.”

Announcing his fare rises today Boris said that:

“Every penny of this cash injection will go towards keeping fares as low as possible. That is very good news in the current economic climate and even better the unprecedented level of investment to improve London’s transport network will continue unabated.”

Labour’s Mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone said today that if elected next year he will cut fares.

“Rising fares under Boris Johnson or a fares cut with my Fare Deal give Londoners a very clear choice. Fares are rising when they should be cut, and as the Tory mayor has once again failed to cut them today, I will set out next week further details of how I will cut them instead”

You can read the full table of fare rises here.

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