Putting Londoners first, not squeezing farepayers

Conservative Mayor Boris Johnson has committed Londoners to years of steep fare rises above inflation. With his next fares rise this coming January fares will be up yet again, this time overall by seven per cent.  This is at a time when people are really feeling the pinch and nationally the Conservatives are putting the pressure on people from higher VAT to student fees. 

The impact of three years of high fares means the price of a single bus fare by Oyster will have risen by a staggering 56 per cent, with more to come.  

After this January’s fare rise a weekly bus and tram pass will have risen 47 per cent under Boris Johnson, up from £13.00 in 2008 to £19.10 in 2012 – making passengers £317 a year worse off. 

A weekly zone 1-2 Travelcard will have rocketed 23 per cent to £29.80 in 2012, costing Londoners £291 a year more. 

A weekly zone 1-4 Travelcard will be up 23 per cent under the Tory Mayor – from £34.60 in 2008 to £42.60 in 2012, costing passengers £416 a year more. 

The price of fares is set to rise relentlessly unless Boris Johnson is removed from office in May: he has signed a commitment to increase fares at 2% above inflation for the next 20 years. 

Yet while pushing up Londoners’ fares Boris Johnson argues for tax cuts for the richest. His Tory Chancellor George Osborne has allowed train companies to increase fares by three per cent above inflation.

Ken Livingstone will put Londoners first and change Boris Johnson’s twenty year plan for steep fare rises in favour of a fairer plan. If elected he will introduce a fares cut in October 2012, then totally freeze fares throughout 2013. After that, the fares will rise overall by no more than inflation. The choice could not be clearer. And Ken will stand up for rail commuters over the Conservatives’ unfair fare hikes. A vote for Ken will not only see fares cut but will send a message to George Osborne and the Tory-led government that they need to halt the relentless push to increase fares.