“Fare rise hike hits Barnet today”
This week transport fares in Barnet and across London will rise for the sixth year in a row, for each of the last five years fares have risen above inflation. This year the Mayor has claimed that fares will be frozen at inflation. However, analysis of the new fare tables show that Londoners in Zones 1-4 who use weekly, monthly or annual travel cards, will actually be hit with yet another above inflation fare rise. Pay as You Go bus passengers will also see their fares rise above inflation.
The fares are calculated using July’s inflation level, which was 3.1%. The above inflation rises for 2014 include:
– Bus and Tram Pay as You Go – up 3.6% to £1.45 – a 55p rise since 2008
– PAYG TfL Rail Services Zone 1 – up 4.8% to £2.20
– Zone 1-2 monthly travel card – up 3.3% to £120.60
– Zone 1-3 monthly travel card – up 3.4% to £141.40
– Zone 1-4 annual travel card – up 3.2% to £1800
In his budget the Mayor is planning on cutting his share of the council tax by 1.3%, or 1.1pence a day for a Band D Household. This will save the average London household just £4 a year. A Zone 1-4 Annual Travelcard was £1,744 last year, but from today will be £1,800. This means a couple in Harrow, Croydon or Redbridge who work in central London will be £122 out of pocket each year.
Andrew Dismore AM, Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden, said:
“Today many people in Barnet will be hit with yet another inflation-busting fare rise. Boris has claimed he is freezing the fares at inflation, but this simply isn’t true – and many passengers will see this first hand from today. He is saving people £4 a year on their council tax but is taking vastly more from them in higher transport fares. As Chair of TfL he really needs to do a better job of helping Londoners struggling with the cost of living crisis hitting our city.
“Boris is in a position to actually help people who are struggling, but yet again many fares are going up above inflation. We’ve tried to find out from TfL how many people this will affect, but they have not released the information to us. Rather than taking action to help people who are struggling with living in the most expensive city in the world, the Mayor has wasted millions on his vanity projects.”
