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Metro and bus fares will rise by an average of 5.9 per cent – the biggest rise in more than a decade – while the mayor’s share of council tax bills will jump by 9.7 per cent, the biggest rise in 20 years.
For the second year in a row, bus fares will rise by 10p – to £1.75 from 5 March.
The daily and weekly maximum fares for subway tickets will increase by up to 6.7 percent, depending on the number of regions traveled.
A ban imposed at the start of the pandemic on Londoners over 60 traveling for free before 9am is now permanent – a move that will anger several thousand pensioners but generate £40m a year in extra wages.
Read more
Age UK London described the decision as a “devastating blow”.
Khan says he was forced by the government to reverse the 5.9 per cent increase in National Rail fares and increase his share of council tax by the maximum allowed, primarily to generate extra money for the Metro police and London Fire Commission.
He announced Wednesday that the Met’s additional money will allow the recruitment of 500 additional police community support officers (PCSOs).
Key elements of the suggested price package include:
Underground fare in Zone 1 at peak hours will increase by 30p to £2.80, an increase of 12 per cent.
Off-peak, the Zone 1 Tube fare has increased by 20p to £2.70.
Most single metro fares go up by just 10p.
The daily maximum cost for multiple bus trips will increase by 30p to £5.25.
Seven-day bus and tram fares will increase by £1.40 to £24.70.
A Hopper ticket, which allows multiple bus trips within an hour, will be held for the cost of a single fare.
The daily limit for tube or rail travel within Zones 1-4 will increase by 70p to £11.70
Travel Card will increase weekly regions 1-6 by £4 to £74.50.
The main increases announced today were as Mr Khan signaled over the past two weeks, when he expressed his frustration that under funding rules London would lose out in the long run if he failed to follow government expectations.
He said “inadequate” government funding for frontline services required him to raise council tax bills to fill the gap.
But Michael Roberts, chief executive of the London Travelwatch pasenger Group, said: “Many Londoners are already feeling cost-of-living pressures, so a 5.9 per cent rise in prices across TfL services will be a challenge for many people.
“More people use the bus every day in the capital than any other type of transport. Buses are used mostly by low-income Londoners, so we are particularly disappointed that these fares are not capped.”
Mr Khan’s stake in standard Band D bonds will increase by £38.55, bringing the amount that the average London family pays annually to the Greater London Authority to £434.14 from April.
This is Khan’s biggest rise to the GLA ‘principle’ since becoming mayor in 2016 and the biggest overall since Ken Livingstone increased his share of the billings by more than £50 in 2003.
The price hike is the largest in more than a decade. The previous biggest hike was the 5.6 per cent increase imposed by Boris Johnson in 2012.
The increase in the number of PCSOs was unexpected. Their number has fallen from 2,500 a decade ago to less than 1,200 at the end of last year.
But the Met has struggled to recruit enough police officers to keep up with the number of retired or retirees, and PCSOs earn less – around £28,000 – and require just six weeks of initial training.
City Hall said the goal was for PCSOs to provide a “visible police presence” in high-crime areas, help restore community relations and rebuild trust in the Met after a series of scandals.
“Achieving the strongest London boroughs ever is our priority and we are grateful to the Mayor for his investment,” said Louisa Rolfe, Met Assistant Commissioner.
City Hall said nearly half of London households were in Bands A to C, meaning they would incur a smaller council tax increase in monetary terms.
But many households will face a total bill of £2,000 or more once their department share is added – although people living in Westminster, which already sets the lowest council tax in the capital, have been told the council share of the total bill will be frozen.
Mr Khan said: “The last thing I want to do is raise the council tax at a time when many family budgets are under great strain, but the government’s refusal to provide the funding our city needs meant I had no practical alternative but to help bridge the gap by raising the council tax.”
“This will ensure we can protect and improve our vital front-line public services, including police, transport and the London Fire Brigade.”
He said individual fares in central London had been deliberately increased by more than those outside Zone 1 to keep costs “as low as possible” for Londoners traveling from the suburbs to work, and because only trips within Zone 1 “were likely to take place. For tourism or entertainment.”
He also recognized that carpooling in the suburbs was higher and wanted to avoid discouraging public transportation use further.
He dropped plans to increase the eligible age for the 60+ Oyster, which means the benefit will continue to start at 60 — though not free to travel until 9am.
Peter Fortune, deputy leader of the Conservative Party, GLA, said: “London is now facing a significant cost of Khan’s crisis. Sadiq Khan’s council tax will rise by 57 per cent since his election, hitting Londoners with another huge price hike.”
Suggested bus and tram fares
Present
March 2023
more
Pay – one
£1.65
£1.75
6.1%
PAYG – daily maximum
£4.95
£5.25
6.1%
7-day bus and tram pass
£23.30
£24.70
6.0%
Suggested daily and weekly area caps
Present
2023
more
Regions
Daily
weekly
Daily
weekly
Daily
weekly
12
£7.70
£38.50
£8.10
£40.50
5.2%
5.2%
123
£9.00
£45.00
£9.60
£48.00
6.7%
6.7%
1234
£11.00
£55.00
£11.70
£58.50
6.4%
6.4%
12345
£13.10
£65.50
£13.90
£69.50
6.1%
6.1%
123456
£14.10
£70.50
£14.90
£74.50
5.7%
5.7%
Suggested maximum fares for adults PAYG
Regions
Present
March 2023
they change
%
1
£2.50
£2.80
£0.30
12%
12
£3.20
£3.40
£0.20
6.25%
123
£3.60
£3.70
0.10 pounds sterling
2.8%
1234
£4.30
£4.40
0.10 pounds sterling
2.3%
12345
£5.00
£5.10
0.10 pounds sterling
2%
123456
£5.50
£5.60
0.10 pounds sterling
1.8%
2, 3, 4, 5, 6
£1.80
£1.90
0.10 pounds sterling
5.6%
23, 34, 45, 56
£2.00
£2.10
0.10 pounds sterling
5%
234, 345, 456
£2.70
£2.80
0.10 pounds sterling
3.7%
2345, 3456
£2.90
£3.00
0.10 pounds sterling
3.5%
23456
£3.30
£3.40
0.10 pounds sterling
3%
Suggested TfL wages for off-peak adults
Regions
Present
March 2023
they change
%
1
£2.50
£2.70
£0.20
8%
12
£2.60
£2.80
£0.20
7.7%
123
£2.90
£3.00
0.10 pounds sterling
3.5%
1234
£3.10
£3.20
0.10 pounds sterling
3.2%
12345
£3.40
£3.50
0.10 pounds sterling
2.9%
123456
£3.50
£3.60
0.10 pounds sterling
2.9%
2,3,4,5,6
£1.60
£1.80
£0.20
12.5%
23,34,45,56
£1.70
£1.90
£0.20
11.8%
234,345,456
£1.80
£1.90
0.10 pounds sterling
5.6%
23453456
£1.90
£2.00
0.10 pounds sterling
5.3%
23456
£1.90
£2.10
£0.20
10.5%
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Sources 2/ https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMibGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0YW5kYXJkLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvbG9uZG9uL3R1YmUtZmFyZXMtcmlzZS1jb3VuY2lsLXRheC1zYWRpcS1raGFuLWNpdHktaGFsbC1sb25kb24tYjEwNTM4MjMuaHRtbNIBcGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0YW5kYXJkLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvbG9uZG9uL3R1YmUtZmFyZXMtcmlzZS1jb3VuY2lsLXRheC1zYWRpcS1raGFuLWNpdHktaGFsbC1sb25kb24tYjEwNTM4MjMuaHRtbD9hbXA?oc=5 The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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