Dismore demands limit to fares increases
Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/qsimple/
Speaking in the London Assembly plenary debate on transport fares, Andrew Dismore AM, Labour London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden demanded that Mayor Boris Johnson honoured his manifesto pledge on fares.
Mr Dismore said:
“The Mayor promised lower fares, but has delivered the opposite. . a single tube fare in zone 1 to 4 has gone up 52% on his watch, going up six times more than wages. A zone 1 to 4 monthly travel card or annual season ticket has gone up by 26%.
Instead of flying kites to divert attention from his inflation busting fare rises, like tax breaks for annual season ticket holders, which he has as much prospect of achieving from the Chancellor as I have of shaking hands with the Man in the Moon, and which would do nothing to help low paid or part time workers who don’t have season tickets, the Mayor should stop braking his promises.
London fares are double those in New York, Paris or Berlin and treble those in Los Angeles or Rome.
When ordinary working people have seen their pay rise less than prices for every month but one since the coalition Government has been in power ( and that one month was bankers’ bonus month), the Mayor should recognise the pressures on Londoners and limit his fare rises to inflation only.”
