"Now more than ever the Mayor must level with Londoners over fare rises" - Mike Tuffrey (Barking and Dagenham Borough Liberal Democrats)

Barking and Dagenham Borough Liberal Democrats <barkinganddagenham@libdems4london.org.uk>

"Now more than ever the Mayor must level with Londoners over fare rises" - Mike Tuffrey

July 14, 2010 12:00 PM
Originally published by London Assembly Liberal Democrats

The Mayor has been challenged to enter into a honest debate with Londoners over how much he will raise fares next year. At Mayor's Question Time today the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Members urged the Mayor to start immediately consulting Londoners over the different options open to him on next year's fare rises.

Mike Tuffrey AM said:

"The decision about fare rises should not be made behind closed doors. After two years of steep fare rises it is now more important than ever the Mayor levels with Londoners over how fares could change.

"The Mayor consults Londoners every year about council tax - where a freeze saves them £5 a year - while his bus fare increase cost a typical Londoner £150 last year, yet no consultation is required.

"The Mayor must protect people on low incomes if any real increase is to be made. He must set out the different options open to him and then enter into an honest debate with Londoners over one of the most significant bills they face."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. In Paris and New York there is public consultation on metro and bus fares. In Paris many different public and private bodies are officially involved in taking decisions on fare policy while in New York the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee influence the fares policy.

2. Last the average rise in bus fares was 12.7% and 3.9% for tube travel. However bus fares for Oyster Pay as You Go increased by 20%.