Curb high commuter fares, MPs tell mayor

London Evening Standard/London

London commuters are being stung by the highest fares in the world, MPs warned.

They said the price of an annual zone 1-6 travel card had soared by £400 in just five years, while the cost of a single bus journey had spiralled by 56% since 2008 when Boris Johnson became mayor.

At least 24 Labour MPs have launched a campaign in Parliament in which they urged Johnson to raise fares in line with inflation rather than by 1% above it next January.

“London commuter fares have become the most expensive in the world and are an ever increasing pressure on household budgets, while real wages are falling and bills are rising,” they said in a Commons motion tabled by Eltham MP Clive Efford.

They accused Transport for London of hoarding surpluses and of under-anticipating its level of fare income, while overestimating spending.

Shadow London minister Sadiq Khan said that a zone 1-6 single journey with an Oyster card was £5 in London, while equivalent journeys were £1.46 in Paris, £1.60 in New York, £2.66 in Berlin, £1.29 in Rome and £1.28 in Miami.

The Tooting MP, who is urging Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs to support the campaign, added: “I will work with anyone who will help me persuade Boris Johnson to do the right thing on fares.”

Commuter fares on many rail routes into London are due to rise on average by 4.1% in January, while some could go up by 9%.

The overall increase for a basket of regulated fares is set under a government formula at 1% above the retail price index inflation level in July, which was 3.1%.

The mayor of London is expected to use the same basis for Transport for London ticket price rises.

Johnson’s aides said he had kept fares in the capital lower than “anywhere else” in the country, while protecting free and concessionary travel.

A mayoral spokeswoman added: “Every penny from fares is invested in improving transport for Londoners, resulting in one of the biggest and most reliable transport systems in the world.

“He will make a decision on fares for 2014 later this year but has publicly stated that he is determined to bear down on them as much as possible.”

Sources at TfL said that it did not have a surplus.

MPs who signed the motion on London fares include Dame Tessa Jowell, Frank Dobson, Dame Joan Ruddock, Seema Malhotra, Andy Slaughter, Gareth Thomas, Jeremy Corbyn, Kate Hoey, Virendra Sharma, Glenda Jackson, Jim Dowd, John Cryer, John McDonnell, David Lammy, Siobhain McDonagh, Diane Abbott, Stephen Timms, Barry Gardiner, Andrew Love, Teresa Pearce, Karen Buck, Stephen Pound and Jon Cruddas.