Beckenham MP Bob Stewart has written to the Secretary of State for Transport to ask that the Transport for London (TfL) fares increases be calculated on the same model as the national rail fares.
Regulated ail fares are usually calculated on July's RPI plus one percent (RPI+1) but the Government have announced that they will not use this model for national rail fares. The Government have also delayed any fare increases from January to March. By keeping fares below inflation, the support package is effectively a fares freeze.
However, despite TfL's financial difficulties, earlier this year the Mayor announced an unfunded 8.4% increase for tube drivers.
Bob said:
"With July's RPI rate being 14.5% that means rail users across Beckenham face fares increase of 15.5%. That kind of increase is not affordable, so I've asked the Secretary of State to offer TfL the same fares calculation as has been announced for national rail – effectively a fares freeze for workers. I want to see this extended to Transport for London so that my constituents are not hit with a double-digit fare increase while other bills are rising so fast."
"The truth of the situation is, that the decisions of this Mayor left Transport for London financially ill prepared for the pandemic. The fares freeze for tourists, the delays to Crossrail and the grand standing on advertising all left TfL out of pocket. So when the pandemic hit TfL's reserves were effectively already used up. That's why this Mayor had announced plans to increase fares before the pandemic. His shameless, headline seeking, victim act means he is unable to get the best deal for commuters. So I urge the Mayor to drop the grandstanding, take ownership, show some leadership and start taking the negotiations with the Government seriously."
