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Boris Johnson came under pressure today to introduce a one-hour bus ticket for passengers with pay-as-you-go Oyster cards.
The proposal, which would allow passengers to use more than one bus during a 60-minute period without paying more than once, would be more affordable and convenient for Londoners using public transport.
Currently, passengers must pay for each bus they board if they swap vehicles during a journey.
London Assembly members unanimously voted for a motion asking the Mayor to consider the idea. Lib-Dem member Caroline Pidgeon, who proposed the motion, said: "You can already switch from Tube to Tube on the same ticket, so it makes sense to allow people to do the same with buses.
"It is unfair that people who use Oyster pay-as-you-go have to pay a new fare every time they change buses. One-hour bus tickets already operate successfully in Paris, Rome and Brussels."
However, sources close to the Mayor said such a move was unlikely as it would be expensive to bring in.
A spokesman for the Mayor said: “A one hour bus pass has been suggested several times but has not been introduced because it would be complex and expensive to introduce and would only benefit a tiny proportion of people.”
Reader views (15)
Just because people in other parts of the country (Birmingham and Lake District)are being ripped off worse than us in London, does not mean that we should shut up and take it like so many do. I thought the British held themselves above the Europeans - Oh, I see, we have to pay for this Conservative Plinth.
- Kevin Collins, Woodford Green, Essex
A dayticket can be bought on a bus in the West Midlands giving unlimited travel on all NXWM buses for just £3.30 right across Birmingham and the West Midlands County. It is good value. Comparing very well with other bus operations.
- Phil Bateman, Wolverhampton
I agree with P. Staker of London, in that many Londoners would have quite a shock at bus fares outside of the capital. Since moving to King's Lynn just over a year ago I've gone on very few buses because of the cost (though will get my concessionary bus pass at the end of this month when I reach 60). The bus fares in London are excellent with the £3.30 daily cap for as many bus journeys as you like, so I can't see for the life of me why anyone who has to pay for their fares by way of an Oyster Card is complaining. You never had it so good!
- Judith, KIng's Lynn, Norfolk, UK
With the daily traffic gridlock in the capital, you have no chance of using your oyster more than once in an hour.
- Mr S.Port, London
Nice Airport to central Nice on express bus -- 4 Euros. You can then use that ticket all day on the Nice transport system. Nice to Monaco - 1 Euro (30min journey). Any local journey - 1 Euro. We are ripped off for public transport in the UK.
- Carlos, FAREHAM, Hants
whats the point?
You have to wait about an hour before a bus turns up!
- Josh, London
"A spokesman for the Mayor said: “A one hour bus pass has been suggested several times but has not been introduced because it would be complex and expensive to introduce and would only benefit a tiny proportion of people.”
Ah, he's ticked the "too difficult to do box". What he really means is that they will lose money by making the concession.
Anyway, it should not be that hard as each Oyster reader on a bus records time and route number when a card is swiped, and all you need to do is to program it to ignore any previous activity in the preceding 59 minutes from that card.
Come on TfL, it's not rocket science. You've installed interim card readers at selected interchange stations to cut fares, where's the difference?
- Tom Watson, SE1
A few days ago there was a black hole in the TFL budget - so how can this be justified with that backdrop?
- James, London
It's not the same as a bus pass. It's the same as using more than one tube line to get from A to B. It's called a "transfer ticket" in other places.
It's a good idea for a subtle reason. Once people don't want to sit on the same bus for the whole journey for financial reasons, the entire bus system can be re-structured around shorter routes, running to or between hub locations that as many routes as possible share. You then get on the first bus going in roughly the right direction, and change bus where necessary, without financial penalty. Also with shorter routes, the busses don't catch up with one another, so you don't get a half-hour wait and then three busses all on the same route all arriving at once.
- Nigel, London
The Oyster PAYG actually caps the fare at £3.30 I know because I use it daily, as many bus rides all day for £3.30.
Whilst I can understand people moning about the cost of public transport, I don't think most people know how lucky they are in London.
Went to Birmingham last week and a bus fare cost me £1.70 for a journey of about a mile and half, the local train service was the same price.
Lake district 3 weeks ago single journey £3.80 for less than 2 miles, none of us could believe it at first.
So come on Londoners STOP MOANING public transport is about the only thing that is cheaper in London, compared to the rest of the UK.
Start asking friends who live outside the capital what they pay, I think most people would be very surprised.
- P Staker, London
"would allow passengers to use more than one bus during a 60-minute period without paying more than once"
Um, isn't that called a bus pass? What's wrong with them buying one instead?
- Bob, Cheam
You have voted a Tory in to power, one from the right of the party at that. So don't expect fairs on public transport to get cheaper.
- Mick, London, England
Most civilized western cities of the world have this system in place. Why are we always the last ones to adopt logical schemes?
- Orkan, London, UK
In London until 2009 we had a £3 go-anywhere bus ticket, effectively. It's now £3.90, so Boris has some way to go backwards even to get to the situation when he arrived, let alone take up the Lib Dem's eminently sensible suggestion. At the rate he's going £3 will be two Oyster bus trips by 2012.
As an aside, this particularly benefits orbital/radial journeys where you might need to go round a bit before reaching the radial route you need, which is a common state of affairs in the outer boroughs Boris allegedly supports. Mind you, he hates buses, so don't cross your fingers.
- Tom, London, UK
This is long overdue. Here in Bordeaux, a single €3 ticket gives parking all day in covered car parks, and a return ticket for every person in the car, valid for one hour each way on the new tram system and the bus. The result? More and more people take to public transport.
- David Chown, bordeaux france
