• How your journey will be affected
• Boris Johnson: These fare rises are hard, but I have no choice
• Train: Double dose of rail delays
• Commentary: More cuts and higher charges on the way
• Blog: Boris scared of tackling Ken's army of subsidy junkies
• Fares: 'Massive kick in the teeth for Londoners'

Reader views (121)

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This is ridiculous.Why would they stop robbing people's hard-earned money?And where did all the money gone?

- Nina Xue, Kensal Green

Thanks for nothing Boris. I have a 'local' job in the suburbs and it takes me an hour to walk there, which is why I get the bus. I won't be cycling until it's a safer option i.e. 20 mile an hour speed limit. I could take the train, but that's far too expensive. Boris still hasn't been able to get the train operators to accept Oystercards. Off-peak tubes to the suburbs will be cut - so I'll be waiting longer. It will be unpleasant and frightening to see the rise in muggings and assaults as a result of these cuts. Thanks again for nothing Boris.

- Julia, Palmers Green

well at least we know the money is going on Transport and not colleagues 'community businesses'. Funny the Labour attack dogs say boris is awful but who has run the country into the buffers - oh hang on its El Gordo - the state is mightier than the sword. Hypocrits - whats Boris supposed to do borrow, oh hang on Thats was El Gordos plan and look where we all are now

- Christian Ball, London, UK

I have to say Boris gets the prize for brass neck, while pouring millions down the drain getting rid of bendies,developement for his pipe dream new Routemaster, which is never going to get built and pleasing his chums in West London,with the abandonment of the western extension congestion charge, he then pleads poverty, as he no doubt did in his Bullingdon Club days. This time there is no Daddy to send a postal order, its us mugs that have to pay up.Ken had many faults but was far superior to this buffoon.Anyway it has given us a little foretaste of what a future Tory government would be like, be warned !!

- Micky, London N4

The Union members need to paid somehow.

- Frank, Home Counties, England.

Johnson will blame the recession for his proposed increased charges in the hope that it will rebound on the Labour Party whom the Tories will always blame for the recession. Electing this fol lks as if London has shot itself in the foot. !
T H leeds

- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK

A theme of the Conservative Party conference this year was about taking responsibility. Now here we have Boris Johnson and his supporters, blaming the previous Mayor, the unions, old people, poor people, train drivers, the Government and alleged fare dodgers. Is this how a future Conservative Government will behave. They have already set the scene with their 'Broken Britain' campagn and if elected, they will feel free to decimate our public services and pass all blame onto the previous administration.

- Adrian, Dorking

Simon, London - "I use a bendy bus every day and only 10 of us in this crowded bus pay the fare."

I'm curious as to how you know this. Do you carry out an examination of peoples' tickets? And can you enlighten us as to how you think people are supposed to touch in paper travelcards and tickets bought from roadside ticket machines? In case you have difficulty interpreting simple notices "Oyster Pay-as-you-go user must touch in" does not mean "everyone who gets on this bus must touch in". It's quite simple, really, but obviously not for you.

- Skeletor, Castle Greyskull

Boris + Mayoral promises = Joke

- Nick, Battersea

the western extension could have paid toward this.

- Nu, london uk

If Boris wants to reduce the budget deficit of TfL he should start by seriously cutting the number of twerps who work (I use the term loosely) there producing spurious research, invalid statistics and ever more loony ideas.

- Johnr, Never-never land

Typical Tory! How long before we are back to the £1.90 bus fare I used to pay pre-Ken?

- Steve, Hackney, London

40k+ for tube drivers
3 tube staff who stand around and do sod all apart from opening the big barrier.

kids blocking the buses in the morning, when they should be walking or cycling to school.

Are jobseekers free too? they dont have to get anywhere.

here is just a small list of problems with transport

- Damien, London, England

I use public transport everyday as it is my sole means of travelling to work, etc. I am faced daily with buses that never arrive on time, cars parked in bus lanes, an obscene amount of traffic due to the never ending road works that are all over the city, overcrowding on the tube. Maybe Boris Johnson and his aides can cycle and walk every day, however not all normal Londoners are as lucky. The transport system is a public service, why should we be priced out of using it? It is a disgrace that London is falling behind its European counterparts.

- Unhappy Londoner, London

Well done Boris, you've just lost the Tories the next election.

- Johnty, United Kingdom

Marshall Duke Mortimer and Lou want their heads examining!!pensioners or at least all those I know..do not have cars and survive on less than 140 pounds per week!! if anyone should loose free travel it is the children and unruly teenagers who instead of walking from and to school,as we did ride the buses free day and night,in many cases terrorising passengers..however,I am not pitting one group against another.....

- Jean, London England

My advice would be to invest in a very good pair of trainers and boycott london transport altogether!,.that'll teach them!.

- Auf Deutsch, Stalinist Britain.

Memo to Jenny Jones, London Assembly

Motorists pay road tax (VED) to use the road.
Motorists already pay fuel duty through the nose, 70% tax.
Motorists already pay five times the rate that the Stern Report suggested for carbon, and over five times for the total spending on Britain's roads.

We are fed up of being ripped off by the big red wolf in green granny's clothing - unwanted eco-towns, bird-mincing wind turbines, carbon trading to subsidise fat cat capitalists. If we cut out little extravaganzas like your totally unnecessary flights for 'Mayors For Peace' conferences in the USA, we would have a darned sight more to spend on public transport. Get a life.

- Brian, London

Cut out the hypocrisy, Richard

The Kengestion Charge extension was forced on the western side of London AGAINST our wishes. The money should never have been extorted from people, and Boris is simply restoring the status quo on that.

As regards how much the wretched extension zone brings in, Transport for London could only estimate the revenue in last year's consultation. Any figure beginning 'Up to' is suspect, particularly if there is a recession on which will further reduce travel.

I would like to see Boris have a consultation on what unnecessary expenditure he might cut from what is still the people's republic of Londongrad (Marxist-Livingstonist). He should get the Taxpayers Alliance in to identify where money is wasted like the Mayor of Doncaster has done.

- Jools, London

The price of train fares is taking the mick out of our customers to be honest.
I can think of some journeys where the customer is expected to pay £2.50 - £3.00 for a 1 stop 3 minute journey!
Now it looks like the Underground will soon be following National Rail's lead!

I am glad I never voted for a Conservative Mayor, I have no sympathy for those that did though!

I do not believe that a "fall in passenger numbers" is responsible for this!
Honestly, how often can you can get a seat now on the tube if you're travelling through Zone 1?

I don't think Richard Parry is bothered though, he is ensuring he gets his 10% increase added on to his £450k salary! It must be very pleasing for the man also that the public are blaming his frontline staff!
TFL can afford to pay senior management 100k - 450k (with bonuses)........where is the black hole exactly??

- National Rail Worker, London

Necessary moves but he should have gone further. There is no justification for children to travel for free, they should be half fare like most other places. Similarly the retirement age is 65, so the pensioner pass should apply at that age and NOT at peak times. Peak times are when capacity is most precious, and when those who don't need to travel shouldn't. Both would save a lot of money. Bus fares for trips starting in zone 1 only should also go up, so many use buses to do trips they could walk. Buses in London are very cheap compared to the rest of the UK, and the 3000% subsidy increase under Ken was ridiculous.

In a world where the environment matters, people should pay for what the use to encourage walking and cycling and reduce overcrowding at peak times - Boris has made a start, but could go much much further.

- Libertyscott, London

All those people who still think that the people who don't swipe on the bendies aren't paying, please remember that those proper commuters with Travelcards don't have to swipe so don't. Try reading the sign, if you can read - it says people with Oyster PAYG must swipe. No-one else has to.

- Carl, London

Once the congestion charge came in, TFL had a monopoly on most transport in London. Thus they could raise both the cost of the Congestion Charge and the cost of public transport with impunity. The Congestion Charge and Peter Hendy have to go.

- Dave T,, West Drayton

Lindsey, London, if you really do only earn £12,000 I suggest you work harder or get a better job.

- Tony, Essex

If the fares are increased to a level that supports the system - so other taxpayers are no longer robbed to pay for someone's else's travel, then that's great!

Also, the riders might actually start to look at what they're getting, and then to begin to question just how much the drivers are paid, the benefits they receive.

When people have to pay for what they get, they usually pay more attention to the costs.

- Trunk, US

So much for deflation........

- The Jogger, Chichester UK

So lets get this right when inflation is high the price of things go up.And when inflation falls the price of things come down unless you are living in london then you pay anyway.

- David Smith, Croydon

Well if Boris had cancelled the ridiculously expensive scheme of getting rid of the Bendy Buses and continued with the CC in the Western Extension instead of pandering to his Conservative voters, then he would have been accruing a great deal more money for TfL. And maybe we would not have been getting such big fare hikes. Its all Boris’s fault, not Ken’s.

- David, London

Only in the Public sector could you think of addressing a declining customer base by putting the price up!
Unbelievable...

- David, Fulham, UK

No mention of this on the TfL web site, of course. Just a headline spinning the Mayor's Transport Strategy which is basically: bring down the services and put up the fairs. At least I take small comfort in that I didn't vote for the Boris the buffoon.

- John David, London

@ Melvin Windebank – “Next month Route 38 goes from 47 Artics to 72 thats right 72 Double-deckers!! (It only needed 50 RM's before!) so how many millions extra will full withdrawel of brand new perfectly good buses waste?”

And how many passengers will prefer to stand downstairs instead of going to the upper deck where there will be plenty of seats available?

@ Marshal Duke Mortimer, Fulham – “As a Conservative I concur with those readers who say the elderly should not travel free of charge,I am in the fortunate position of never having to use Public Transport,so why should I subsidies these people,the elderly have had it far too easy,I hope when we have a Conservative Government,that winter heating allowances to these parasites is re-viewed.”

I hope this comment is a wind-up. If it isn’t, firstly lucky old you. Secondly, if you believe the elderly have had it far too easy and talk about these “parasites” having their winter heating allowances “re-viewed” (and I find it hard to believe any educated person would hyphenate “re-viewed”) then you’re a disgrace to humanity. Doubtless you long for a return to the last Conservative government when the annual WHA was £10.

- Blue Baby, London

What a surprise, all the Livingstone and Labour supporters crawl out of the woodwork again to criticise Boris Johnson. Conveniently they are neglecting to acknowledge that these rises are meant to try and make up the £3bn deficit in the transport budget.

Of course that £3bn was all accrued in the last year under Johnson's stewardship, nothing to do with the former Mayor at all.

These fare rises are also meant to help secure the money for Crossrail, another scheme that was wholly backed and championed by our former mayor Mr. Livingstone.

So, were Ken still in power would he:

a) increase bus and tube fares to raise the capital needed,

b) leave the fares as they are and allow the deficit to ever increase because the next mayor will deal with it,

c) create a whole new raft of taxes, charges and schemes to plug the gap, making many Londoners' lives a misery... then go out and spend the money they earn on making himself look like a saint in the eyes of his supporters, knowing that the next mayor will deal with the massive deficit he's failed to deal with.

I'm not Boris's biggest fan, but it is truly pathetic the way the Livingstone supporters view Ken's tenure through rose-tinted spectacles. It was bound to take longer than a year, and a few tough decisions, for whoever had succeeded Livingstone to clean up the mess he left.

- Steve, London

It makes me so happy to hear all these pro Boris clowns bein proved wrong. How does it feel to be treated with the contempt you deserve? You voted for him, now shut up and pay up you idiots.

- James, Manchester England

That's what you get for voting Tory. Beware.

- C. Nichol, London

Frank, London says "an unfortunate necessity that has been caused by the previous mayoral administration."

Righty ho mate, I'm not Kenista, but you're dead wrong - Ken was funding loads of improvements in Transport (cycle highways, air conditioning in tubes, upgrades to stations, fare freezes etc) through the CO2 charge and the London low emission zone. Boris has scrapped the lot and has caused a massive hole in the finances, whihc is being plugged by honest hard working people. But as long as there's enough cash in the kitty for pet projects like the new routemasters your sort will still vote Boris!

- Donny, Greenwich

I can't believe people still rely on public transport or cars in this city!

My bike costs me about £100 a year in maintenance. Saves me £50 a month in gym membership. God knows how much on travel costs and I am fitter now at 37 than I have ever been.

Wake up people

- Mike C, London

The extended East London Line reopens in May 2010, has this been accounted for in the income forecasts?

- Cg, london

As has been said before Boris running London will show us how Cameron will run the UK. God help us.

- S B Gartram, Sutton England

I am over 60 and use the underground every day for part of my journey to work BUT I don't travel for free and pay the same as everyone else. The reason? - I live outside of London so dont get a Freedom pass. I can travel free on buses but choose not to as I am earning.
How about stopping the free travel for the already well paid Tube employees and their families.

- Margaret, Essex

Ken Livingstone when he was Mayor put the price of bus fares down, so Boris is simply putting them back to normal price. People shouldn't complain so much, Boris is well loved by the majority of Londoners and will be Mayor for a long time. Get used to it.

- Greg, London

I hope this price increase on a weekly bus pass helps clear out weirdoes and strange psychos. Where do they get the money to pay for a travel card, surely they don’t have a job? (All their money goes on cider and scratch cards). I used to think travelling on the tube was bad until I got on a bus. Most people look like there on a day trip from the loony bin or out for a fight. Mix that with kids piling on and running to the top desk…screaming out the windows at their mates. If you had to pass a test before being aloud a bus pass, one proving you mentally sane and free of a criminal record for assault the buses might be more of a draw for everyone else.

- Paul B, London

In response to Marshal Duke Mortimer of Fulham, you unbelievably stupid, irresponsible, rude, ignorant person. How dare you call the older generation parasites. May I remind you, especially as we approach Remembrance Sunday, that were it not for those parasites as you put it, it is doubtful you would be alive today. You certainly wouldn't have the freedom of speech that has enabled you to write such an appalling comment. Not only have pensioners not had it easy, but we should be doing far more for them.

- Geraldine, London

I agree with Adrian. This morning, 6 children barged in front of me to board a bus. 2 got off after one stop and the rest after 2 stops. Often in the morning, I have to watch several buses pass without stopping, full of children going very short distances while my journey is approx 4 miles.

- Rachel, North London

As long as you look after your tory voting chelsea moaners boris that's all that matters. What a plonker this man is.

- Dave, London

I too see fare dodging in tubes and they are packed even in early afternoons. London's population has swelled by legal and mostly illegal immigrants and the tube tracks, signals and the trains are at a breaking point and not all those who travel in tubes pay the fares. One ex-fare docger told me how he dodged the fare for 3 years by getting into trains at certain stations during rush hours. I also agree that bendy buses are a disaster from fares point of view as more and more them were introduced. I use a bendy bus every day and only 10 of us in this crowded bus pay the fare.
I used the tubes during GLC and Ken's fare's fair days thanks to my neighbours who were hit with large rates. The train drivers union's militancy, Ken's friendship with them plus LDA etc. ec.. , the heritage of Ken means there has to be a large hole left by good old Red Ken which needs filling.

- Simon, London

This makes me feel sick. I earn roughly £12,000 a year, and regularly use buses as a cheaper means of travel. How can it be justified to punish those already struggling? How does Boris expect people to get around the city? Increasing buses fares, tube fares and C-Charge - it would be lovely if we could all walk and cycle everywhere, but until the cycle lanes become safer, its just not an option. The thought of a Tory government at the next general election keeps me up at night.

- Lindsey, london

Boris is doing a wonderful job in giving Londoners a heads-up on what the Tories will be like nationally, should they get to power. Keep going Boris - by the time you have finished there won't be anyone left in the captial prepared to vote for Cameron.

- Lee, enfield

C Charge is going up to pay for the 100s of external consultants that work within the Department...maybe the Standard can run a story on this...

- Anon, Essex

Londoners have it so good. As an ex-Londoner I've moved to Wales where it costs me £270 a month in train and bus fare to travel 35 miles ... and it takes me 4+hrs a day because of the lack of public transport links or Local Government incentive to improve them. I'm on the verge of moving back to London!

- Kate, S Wales

ohh and I can get door-to-door in my car, go and buy one they're great.
- Robert Jackson, London

No problem Robsie! We will all go out and buy one, add another 2 million vehicles to London's jam-packed roads, and see how easy it will be for you to get from door-to-door then, let alone find a parking space! Unless you are happy of course for your house or local amenities to be knocked down so we can build some more roads and carparks?

- David, N10

Now maybe all those idiots who thought it would be a laugh to vote for Boris, thinking he was just a harmless buffoon rather than a dangerous Tory toff, will realise the harm they did. He and his six-figure earning Tory cronies won't even notice these raises. It is ordinary Londoners who will be squeezed.

- Lj, London

That'll really tempt me to give up my gas guzzler............not! It's a no brainer really - travel by unreliable, dirty public transport with smelly, rude oiks or travel in the comfort of my own car, arriving at my destination relaxed and on time.

- James Baker, Bromley

Since when did the Mayor of London have control of the transport system. Does he work for the companies who run them. Who gave HIM the permission to raise fares etc.
T H Leeds

- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK

The fare rises will raise £125 million. Abolishing the Western congestion charge will cost £75 million per year, and getting rid of the £25 congestion charge for 4x4s loses another £50 million - total £125 million. So the fare rises could have been entirely avoided if these charges had been kept. But we know how tough things are for the good folk of Kensington compared to those boroughs who will be hit by the fare hikes...

- Richard, London

Kev in Bromley - get your facts straight. It's the Kensington yummy mummies who want to KEEP the Western extension - at the moment they get the discount for the whole zone and at £4 a week get to drive into the West End for lunch and Selfridges after dropping the little dahlings off. The Western extension was a disaster, and has actually increased congestion in the centre of town.

Ken's combination of high wages for tfl staff and low fares created a pre-election hole in the finances - just as he had done 25 years earlier with "fare's fair" - and it was always obvious that the hole would need filling sooner rather than later.

- Andy, London

If this fare increases forces unemployed overweight poor people off the Tube I might use public transport more often. Well done Boris!

- Sue, Chelsea, London

So then all this buse fare increase is for their R P I or as we call them buse police please what next hold all the over ground train compainies to ramsom so they have to install syster card readers ? or is to much chiefs getting to MUCH money per year and scrapping some of these bendy buses first look on the route and see if the roads on that route can handle them ,are you gettins ticket collectors back or is just another waste and your covering up for them ? And just a main point how many buse drivers out there rember the high way code for what I seen over some time now NONE if not very little and this is being polite I would like to see what stupid improvement Boris is going to do that will be a laugh as seriously looking to get a car as the transport system that I was brought up in well it better on saturn (the planet) one big point were are we going to get the extra money from T F L pleas answer this as your quick take our money quick to charge us quick to pull us in courts but not quick to improve the service and refase the traffic lights as thats been the main hold ups in and around london all over yours fed on paying too much

- Leroy, London

As a Conservative I concur with those readers who say the elderly should not travel free of charge,I am in the fortunate position of never having to use Public Transport,so why should I subsidies these people,the elderly have had it far too easy,I hope when we have a Conservative Government,that winter heating allowances to these parasites is re-viewed.

- Marshal Duke Mortimer, Fulham

Try living in a city where after 7pm in certain parts there are no buses at all. Those that do run cost a heck of a lot more that London buses. The Manchester Tram at peak can cost twice that of the Tube and has a network of just three (for now) branches totalling 21 miles running every 12 (ish if you're luck) mins. And you think you're being ripped off by TfL?!? The public transport system in Greater London is incredible compared to many other parts of the UK. Londoners have to deal with cramped trains at peak, but you really don't know how good you've got it sometimes.

- Rob Formerly Of London, Manchester, UK

Could somebody tell me whether there are any plans to redevelop Clapham Common and Clapham North tube station platforms?

They are both highly dangerous during the morning 'rush hour'.

- David, London

The unpleasant truth is that London's public transport system as it exists is an enormously expensive thing to run and that cost will always be increasing - that is true whether Johnson or Livingstone or somebody else is mayor. Replacing the bendybuses is a small fraction of this - Boris also cancelled a number of expensive projects Ken Livingstone had planned.

The choice is whether to make people who use public transport pay the true cost of their journeys, or whether to spread that cost out to people who don't use it via the mayor's share of council tax or congestion charge. There are valid and passionate arguments on both sides of that.

What Boris has chosen to do is freeze his council tax takings and put the money on fares and the CC. Some might argue that he should have kept fares down and taken it in tax but the money has to come from somewhere.

The bigger picture that Johnson or a successor will have to look at eventually is that public transport is going to keep on getting more expensive, while providing a worsening service. The Tube is old and needs a lot of maintenance, same with the railways. Buses compete for increasingly jammed roadspace. Neither do a great job. Someone at some point is going to have to look at some new alternatives, which will mean a lot of investment in the short term but hopefully long term benefits and savings.

- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent

Looks like Boris is being more of a Livingstone than Livingstone. The CC will have doubled in price in six years, yet congestion is worse than ever. It was never meant to be a revenue raising tax. It was meant to be used towards improved public transport.

- Peter, Harrow, UK

NO! NO! NO!

Unacceptable. London transport is already hugely overpriced and often unreliable and overcrowded.

To hell with this, I am moving out of London...

- Danny, London

St.London Over A million may not have voted for jenny but a million DID vote for Ken!!

At both election Ken gave details of C-Charge in order to gain a mandate I dont re-call Boris saying he would increase it to £10 - But Tories did not say they were doubling VAT when they gave themselves massive income tax cuts!!

- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex

Get rid of the overpaid management at TFL, are TFL still going ahead with swanky new offices at the Shard of Glass when it's built?

And where are there offices now, and how much do they cost?

- P Staker, Londonistan.

This will be the story of the next two decades, Conservative get in to power, look at the books left by Labour and realise that they have ruined everything. The same thing will happen when they win the election in 2010, but it's not their fault... It's the fault of Labour being utterly incompetent with the nations money and messing everything up.

- Ymt, London

In response to 'Croyboy', and as already mentioned earlier in this thread, most people should not need to 'touch in' on bendy buses - only those with Pay as you Go. Anyone else without a season travelcard is expected to buy a paper ticket before boarding, and there is no need to touch it in. I have always thought tht at the alleged fraud on these buses is overstated because people rely only on observations.

- David Tod, Hanworth

When people vote for somebody on the strength of a comic appearance at a celebrity football match why should they expect anything else other than to be mugged off?

Don't start throwing teddy out of the pram now. It's too late. Tory is as Tory does...

- Gary, london

it is all the fault of greedy bob crow - huge wages and short hours for tube drivers, compared to their level of training and ability, have caused this poor financial situation

- Lee, london

Well when you vote for a Mayor who wastes £3 million extra just to run 3 bus routes when the routes already had new buses well hugh increases are bound to follow.

Next month Route 38 goes from 47 Artics to 72 thats right 72 Double-deckers!! (It only needed 50 RM's before!) so how many millions extra will full withdrawel of brand new perfectly good buses waste? - (NB As for passengers not touchin in only passengers using OYSTER pre-pay have to touch in! The many people you see boarding without touching in include millions of national rail users who only have paper tickets.)

It appears the real and only reason for these fare rises is so BOJO ex school mates can drive their cars for free in West London - Marie Antoinette said " let them eat cake " Boris de Phiffel say "let them drive rolls!).


On both occassions when Mayor Ken stood he gave details of the C-Charge and got a mandate from all Londoners! I dont recall Boris saying he would increase the charge to £10 I bet all those white van men are glad they trusted him! Ha..Ha..Ha ... Its always the same old story "NEVER trust a Tory" They protect themselves and no one else counts.

Time to stop wasteing money on buses that wont see the light of day, in fact 2 bus manufactures pulled out of BOJO bus plan as the timeline of 2011 is not practical!

Just think Mayor Ken reduced fares as the buses were making too much for him to spend!!

London needs Trams not Jams but Boris cut these as well!!

- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex

Ahhhhhhh Great News, at last commuters are having to pay for using the tube and buses, yes I will have to pay more if I enter th CH Zone but who cares, fully tax deductable, safer, more efficient, faster runs 24 hours and clean, ohh and I can get door-to-door in my car, go and buy one they're great.

- Robert Jackson, London

I see more and more fare dodging in tube trains and buses. In bendy buses introduced by Ken Livingston, only those who enter the front door swipe the oyster and most others use back doors for free ride. Inspectors are rare. By the way he was the one who gave in to the unions as a typical Labour party man. Fare rise will happen until the unions are brought to control. Rich Ken can go in tube on his wedding day, a good publicity stunt.

- Gary, London

How much of this is down to the fact that Boris has cancelled the deal for cheap fuel that was in place when he took over? How much money is he wasting by buying new buses to replace bendy buses?

- Andy, london

Ian, a good many of the people I see ignoring the tough-in on bendy-buses certainly don't LOOK like the types who'd invest in season tickets of any type.
Oh, yes. FACT: as bendy-buses have a huge "footprint", they're completely inappropriate for a city like London - and no doubt some "users like them" because they don't have to pay!

EDITED by admin @ 13.12 on October 15 2009
Breach of community guidelines

- Croyboy, Croydon

Its now cheaper for me and my mates to ride in a Taxi in Zone1 than use the tube or bus, Crazy!

- Les, London

Boris Johnson fails again. This man has been a complete disaster as Mayor. He must resign.

- Mick, London, England

I think its a joke the easiest way to cut the transport spending is get rid of the free travel for kids, I can fully understand if its a low income household that is completely understandable, but because of ken livingstone labour waste of money incentive it has burdened the transport system!!
Its not fair on everyone else paying for this scheme, like most people I believe that there should be a unified system in place where a single fee throughout, so there would be no need for zones and that there would be a single fee, just like other major cities for example; on the paris metro or the new york subway, plus half the time you want to use public transport your told that there are line closures and you have to spend an additional twenty minutes trying to get home!!

- Joe De Silva, London

Lucky our beloved MPs get free travel,otherwise there would be an uproar.Watchdog needs to get involved here,increase bus fares will have a devastating effect on the lower income earners who barely survive at this time.We must be the only country in Europe that runs a third world transport system which is more expensive than any first world country.Average time waiting for a bus 30 minutes,as Boris is reduceing the service guess the average time will be 45 minutes,but will cost more to wait.

- Roy, london

The most expensive public transport in the world just got even more expensive. Bring back Ken, at least he cut our fares.

- Nolan, Londonist

Boris was voted for by the majority of Londoners and therefore whatever he does is the right thing. If people can't afford to take public transport they should work closer to home or work harder to get a pay rise to afford a car to drive to work. I am willing to pay more for driving in London as Boris has been a wonderful Mayor and brings joy to so many like myself and others around the world which is more important than worrying about a few more pounds here and there.

- Kimberley, London

Its ok, its January , fares always go up in January.
Now if Boris could start to charge the cyclists who have deserted the buses and tube and are now using the roads then he wins both ways.

- Mrs.Port, London

Cuts to bus services in the suburbs? Some of our buses here are so infrequent as it is that we cannot find a convenient journey to meet our reasonable needs as it is. Why is so much money being wasted on changing bendybuses for a higher number of conventional buses, and production of an open platform dual-crewed bus, neither scheme benefitting outer London? Remember Boris, it was suburban London which was instrumental in bringing you into power. There is a limit to attributing the current fiscal problems to previous administrations.

- Jackie, Orpington, Kent, England

I'm glad to see that weekly travelcards appear to be remaining the same?
It wouldn't be so bad if after paying this you could actually get on the bus, but you can't because it's full of OAPs ond small children huddled together downstairs blocking the doors and the stairs.
Time to rethink the free travel for fat children going two stops to school.

- Adrian, London, UK

As I see it, Boris is paying for abolishing the Western congestion charge (so that Kensington yummie mummies don't have to pay to drive their children to private school in gas-guzzling 4x4s) by raising bus fares, which mainly hit outer London.

Ken's pro bus policies led to a huge increase in bus use and fall in congestion in outer London.

This is very bad politics for Boris--it was outer London who voted him in, and it will be outer London who vote him out again.

No chance of re-election if he continues down this path.

- Kev, Bromley

"over 60s in work should not be given free public transport"

..and how can you tell the difference between a non working 60 year old, one with a part-time jobs and one in full time employment?

- John Smith, Londonistan, EUSSR

Great news - Oyster PAYG up between 9% and 18%, bus fares up 20%, inflation 1%, my pay frozen - and I am one of the lucky ones who has not been put on short time or had a pay cut. How can Boris justify this? How does it help the suburban Londoners he is so fond of?

- Johnnyb, London

Oh Gawwwwd - the BoJoweenies will be writing in quicker than lightning with the predictable "It was all the fault of Ken when he was Mayor" blah blah. It's simple - there is recession, consequently not as much tax revenue around at the moment, there is going to be further cost cutting from the national government be it under Brown or Cameron come 2010, and BoJo wants to continue with projects like Crossrail, which are needed.

There is one expensive vanity project which BoJo has gotten wrong - replacing the bendies. The cost replacing them is going to be enormous. Place roaming inspectors on them if you want to crack down on fare-avoiders - surely millions cheaper than replacing an entire, relatively new bus fleet AND having to introduce conductors, much as we would like to have them. Most passengers like the bendies, it's motorists that are annoyed by them.

- David, N10

Yes,the Conservatives are already starting taxing the working class,as inflation is heading into negative this can only be a Tax.Boris is typical Torie party,charge those that can least afford it.Conservative policy comes to light,bring the working class down to the gutter.The poorest use the busses because they can not afford the tube,yet the bus fares have the biggest increase.All those that were thinking of voting in the Conservatives now know what to expect,higher living costs on essential services,where we have no option but to pay for the fairy tale lifestyle of our Rich Conservative Masters.

- Dave, london

No doubt Bob Crow will be arranging for another strike as he will feel that he is not seeing any benefits of this debt recouping programme.

- Gman, Kent

The aim of the price increase seems to be to raise £125 million. Perhaps it will be achieved although I am doubtful. Instead of going through the annual ritual of charging more for indifferent services my suggestion would be for Boris to be a little more imaginative - it might be possible for savings of £125 million to be achieved by reducing the number of TfL white collar staff sitting in expensive offices.

- Gareth Mills, London

why give children all day free travel they should only have it for 1hr going to school and returning home 1hr after that they pay that is why you see groups of children hanging around shopping centers at evening blocking buses up at peak times
surely the 1hr travel will get them home and off buses at peak time even when they go one stop and all pile out the people at the previouse stop are left waiting

- Terry Chambers, London

This is criminal!

- Steve Green, London

well you voted for him , one thing that ken livingstone belived in was public transport. so dont moan about the fare rise , it was your votes that done it

- Bring Back Ken, romford

Why are outer London tube services being cut off peak? Too many Northern line trains terminate at Kennington as it is! We were promised later tubes on a Friday and Saturday too a while back, the tube will probably be closed at midnight to save money if Boris had is way, accept any lines that serve kensington of course......

- Simon, London

Thanks Boris, us Londoners payaing again for the lack of management at TFL - combined with £60k salaries for train drivers.

London was probably the most expensive public transport system in the world - it surely is now!

- Ancient Wisdom, London, England

To Ms Jenny Jones: Did over a million people vote for you? Did anyone vote for you? You are essentially telling us that we are fools for voting for Boris when in reality he is delivering what he promised; strong leadership and policies in the long-term interests of the vast majority of Londoners.

Would you prefer to have a cheap tube which runs out of money and stops running completely in 5 years? I honestly thing you probably would, just so that you could somehow turn around and blame Boris.

There’s no place for poorly-conceived and partisan politics within the LDA. If you care about London and its citizens, you should be working with the elected Mayor rather than constantly conspiring against him.

- St, London

First of all the mayor needs to tackle the unions. It is not right that they should be able to strike and bring the city to its knees.

My second point is that should a tube driver really be paid £50k per year??? And who in the real world gets 50 days holiday?? It's completely out of touch and absurd (though they do sometimes work unsociable hours i.e. New Years Eve)

- Neil Carter, Ealing, London

A 12.7 per cent rise for bus fares? Poorer Londoners rely on buses as a cheaper alternative to Tubes. This simply confirms what we already knew - Boris doesn't give a damn about ordinary Londoners and public transport. And why should he? He cruises around in cabs and claims the fares back as expenses. Bring back Ken - he actually used the Tube!

- Charlie, Soho, London

"Boris is giving up us all the wake up call we need after the cushy lifestyle we have all had over the past ten years."

You and few other people, Frank. Don't mistake the minority of gadget-flashing rich swarming along Oxford Street for the majority of Londoners.

- Richard, London

"I use the 38 regularly, and 50%+ of passengers never touch-in."

Don't assume that they're all fare dodgers - my annual Travelcard gives me unlimited travel on London buses, and I'll happily produce it if asked by an inspector, but I don't need to touch it in.

- Michael, London

Never mind being priced off the tube now we're being priced off the bus! 20% increase is a scandal - perhas Boris should look inward first at making TfL more efficient in its management and operations before laying the financial burden at the feet of the poor public

- Wallytrader, London

In fairness to Boris what you vote for is what you get!.
He made no secret that he was a a tory and true to form his first decision was to slash the investment in TFL by £3bn. Now hes following through with penalising ordinary workers who choose the gree option of travelling by public transport.

I can hardly wait until the rest of the tories get their hands on the budget for UK PLC, more taxes , investment slashed, public transport undermined!

- Sam, London,uk

Perhaps someone from Outer London could have a say here? I use public transport rarely (I'm not anti - it just doesn't serve my needs) - so if public transport needs paying for, then why shouldn't those using it pay for it? Why should my council tax go up to benefit Tube passengers?

- Bumpkin, The Sticks

Average fare increases from Mayors 2010 fares announcement try to paint the 2010 as not as pad as predecessor but adjusting for RPI in the earlier years and this year makes a much 'fairer' and less rosy picture ....
Real far increases cmpared to the July RPI
2005 2006 2010
Bus 9.7% 10% 14.1%
Underground 1% 0.9% 5.3%

Hard to see how these are NOT the highest increases since the GLA was created

- Kas, London UK

Croyboy: people with annual or monthly season tickets don't need to touch in on buses. So your '50%+' who don't touch in on bendy buses probably aren't supposed to. Boris should scrap his plan to replace the bendy buses - how many millions are we all being asked to pay for this personal crusade. FACT: Most bendy bus users like them.

- Ian, London

Well done Boris. A 20% bus fare rise when inflation is around 1%. Brilliant job. and to think I voted for you!

- Jan, Romford

So has it actually been confirmed that the Western Congestion Charge extension is being scrapped?!?

Shame on you Bozo! Shame on you!

- Marco, Notting Hill, London

Baroness Valentine is right. over 60s in work should not be given free public transport, especially at rush hour. i speak as one such, who values the freedom pass and uses it a lot, albeit with a rueful shrug. tfl should return to a 9.30 start and require a signed statement at application and renewal that the pass-holder is retired and not working full-time. this would not achieve full compliance but would be a statement of expectation, and produce some revenue without increasing bureaucracy. at present we working over 60s are benefiting from a period when wholly unrealistic assumptions were made about the age people would retire.

- Stephen, london

I live in south london with no tube lines and bad train lines. We already pay more to get around the city and again will be hardest hit, are more reliant on buses and high overland train fares.
Why is the congestion charge rising? How can that be justified, it doesnt cost the mayor money for people to run their own cars and is blatantly just a way of trying to increase income, money in with few outgoings (except the cost of administering the charge of course!!!). It's ok for those people living centrally who can walk and cycle everywhere but not for those who actually have to commute.
And how many times have we heard that the tube is going to be upgraded, always used as a justification and never seems to happen?????????????

- Anna, London

The mayor is pricing people off public transport, whilst favouring motorists by going ahead with plans to cancel the western extension of the congestion charge. Part of his fares increase will pay for the gap left by losing around £55m of congestion charge income. The Mayor has today highlighted the pollution caused by old buses, but he was the one who dropped the £25 congestion charge on gas guzzling cars, which would have generated around £30m in its first year. Everything the mayor does shows a bias in favour of the motorist and against public transport users. Even the long delayed increase in raising the congestion charge will be after bus and tube passengers have already started paying their extra fares.

- Jenny Jones, Assembly Member, London

Boy am I glad I left London last year, even though earning about 10% less salary the overall benefit on our family finances, 3 adults regularly had to use London Transport to get to work, is easily outweighed by a better quality of life, less congestion and a significant reduction in travel costs and time spent travelling to and from work. I would certainly recommend that families should consider moving beyond the M25 boundary if they can.

- Pete, Reigate

Typical of rip off Britain.
This country just makes me sick and it's no wonder more and more Brits are leaving these shores for a better and cheaper life abroad. If i had the money i would be out of here myself.

- Steve, Medway,England

As somebody who is an older part time, low paid worker and do not fit into any of the free or discounted categories I am disgusted at this rise. My only transport is tube or bus.

I demand, yes demand, that there is a 50% culling of TFL management and that there are pay cuts immediately applied to the 170 TFL staff that are earning well over £100K per year.

Further, I demand that Johnson applies fines to bus and tube companies more stringently and insists that they give 50% discounts for services that are not within two hours of the 8 AM and 5PM rush hours.

Lastly, Johnson MUST remember he is running a service for the citizens of London and not a 'for profit' business.

Shame on you Johnson, you do not get my vote again and if this is indicative of the Conservative party's actions then they will not get my vote either.

- June, Essex

What a stupid man!

- Triffidqueen, Desk in London

These rises were mostly to be expected but perhaps it is time to rethink the free travel pass for those of retirement age. Only those who have been working for decades should be eligible not every single person. Surely this would help to cut down on the deficit that we are all now paying for.

- Lou, London

How about scrapping the ridiculous Bozo Routemaster bus idea? That's gotta save a few million. How can a bespoke designed retro bus be an effective use of transport funds? And whilst we're at it, leave the bendy bus in place and halt any further orders of brand new shorter buses to replace them. The bendies were only about 4 or 5 years old anyway in many cases and they are very effective people transorters.

Anyway it doesn't really affect me thanks to my trusty bicycle....

- Mcw, London

Thank goodness we have a mayor who is willing to face these challenges head on, even if it risks his own future as Mayor.

Good on you, Boris, no doubt you will kop a lot of flak for this, but in my mind you are putting the long-term future of our city first and it takes a strong man to do that.

- St, London

This is diabolical.

there has been a bus replacement on the Jubilee line every weekend this year.

WILL I BE GETTING A REFUND.

DISGUSTING.

- William Jenkins, LONDON

The news of cuts and fare increases just reinforces the absurdity of the present mayor's policy of replacing the bendy buses. The replacements cost more and are already struggling to cope on the Red Arrow services. It is equally absurd that the mayor has so much personal power and so little accountability - compared even to the Prime Minister!

- Hughie, Woking, UK

But don't forget the bendy-buses are free! ...At least, I use the 38 regularly, and 50%+ of passengers never touch-in. And why should they bother? I've NEVER seen an inspector on one!

- Croyboy, Croydon

Boris is giving up us all the wake up call we need after the cushy lifestyle we have all had over the past ten years. We all need to buck up and get on with our jobs and stop complaining about overcrowding and expensive travel - an unfortunate necessity that has been caused by the previous mayoral administration. Good for Boris for not pandering to election whims and actually doing the hard job that needs to be done to sort this city out.

- Frank, London

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