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Comment: Ken’s toxic fares legacy
Evening Standard4 Sep 2008
Boris Johnson's decision to increase bus and Tube fares from next year by an average of six per cent, one per cent ahead of the rate of inflation as measured by the Retail Prices Index, is harsh but inevitable.
While the rise will be cushioned to some degree by modest concessions, for example on some Oyster card fares, it will make London's public transport yet more expensive. Some fares will rise by up to 10 per cent. But we should be in no doubt about where the real blame lies: with Mr Johnson's predecessor, Ken Livingstone.
The former Mayor's profligate spending on bureaucracy at Transport for London was bad enough: today Mr Johnson also announces cuts of £1.6 billion to its budget over the next 10 years. But last autumn, in the run-up to the mayoral election, Mr Livingstone reneged on a decision to raise fares by inflation plus one per cent, in order to finance borrowing for Crossrail. Instead, in January this year, he held the fares increase down to an average of inflation only, thereby instantly creating a £60 million black hole in TfL's budget.
Today's announcement patches that hole and marks a return to what was agreed in the first place. Crossrail is essential to London's transport needs: fare increases will be painful but are ultimately an investment in the capital's future. We hope that Mr Johnson will be able to trim waste at City Hall and TfL further and pass on the savings. But for the moment, the Mayor is at least presenting the unvarnished financial truth rather than cooking the books for short-term political gain.
Reader views (5)
Of course these rises are outrageous - what do you expect from the Tories? - but no more outrageous than the idea of anyone having to pay for public transport is in the first place.
How many journeys do you make on London's buses or tubes for fun? One in ten? One in a hundred? Sure, tourists travel for fun, but the vast majority of public transport journeys made by Londoners are made in order to get them to and from work. I propose that all such journeys should be free of charge - and paid for out of income tax.
The good news is that this will remind people what life under the Tories is like - expensive and miserable.
- John Phillips, London, 04/09/2008 15:14
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Ken did whatever he felt like to get himself viewed in a good light and get re-elected. He only think of number 1. At least Boris makes the hard decisions, even if he appears like a clown.
Any big hairdressing concern want to sponsor him for the term of office...?
- Rob, Ealing, 04/09/2008 15:13
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Better get used to the first of many Boris/Tory fare rises.
Still glad you voted for him?
- Barry L Smith, London, 04/09/2008 15:02
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Looks like Boris is having to clean up the mess made by Ken Livingstone of TFL's finances over the last eight years. The old Mayor went for a regime of spend, spin and borrow which hopefully Johnson is stopping.
Life is tough at the moment. Only the government believes its laughable 5% inflation figure. We know price rises for food & fuel, for example, are much higher. I guess London Transport's fuel bills must be rocketing. I don't want to pay more to travel to work, but I do know London Transport must be put on a firm footing for the future, including new real investment.
Brave politics, not gesture politics is a refreshing change.
- Alex, London, 04/09/2008 14:46
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Blaming Ken for fare rises is rubbish politics. Say what you like, but Ken delivered cheaper fares for ordinary, hard- working Londoners (remember Fares Fair In his GLC days?).
Blaming the Oyster card plain ignorant- if more people pay up-front for their fares they have an increased, positive effect on cash-flow .
The truth is that;
• The cancellation of the Venezuelan oil deal has cost Londoners around £18m a year.
• The cancellation of the £25 “gas guzzler” C-Charge means that we not only have more-polluting cars on our roads, but it means that up to £50m a year has been lost from London’s coffers.
The “Black-Hole is around £25m a year .
What happens when Boris’ election promise, the new Routemaster needs to be paid for - £100m plus?
What happens when the bendy bus gets replaced by more, smaller buses (and more staff)?
What happens when the bus and tube drivers strike and inevitably get pay rises?
What, indeed, happened to Boris’ Value for Money pledge?
- Fresh, London, 04/09/2008 10:33
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