Tfl raise fares by 4.6% - but Fare Free London want them brought down to zero
"Tfl fares hike will hit low-income households hardest," says Pearl Ahrens of Fare Free London. The campaigning group is calling for free public transport for all Londoners.
Transport for London (Tfl) raised tube and rail fares on 2nd March, increasing the cost of travel from zone 4 into central London to £4.60 (up from £4.40), with the cost of the one-day Pay as You Go Cap rising to £12.80 (from £12.30).
Campaign group Fare Free London said that Londoners working in poorly paid jobs will be hit hardest by the increases.
"Instead of putting the burden on low-income households, we should move .. towards a zero-fares system," said Ahrens, pointing to successful examples including Luxembourg, several French cities and more than 100 municipalities in Brazil.
The group argue that free public transport would unlock opportunities for work, education and leisure for all Londoners, but also reduce the numbers of car journeys, reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
They are calling for a "drastic shift" in the way public transport is funded, so that it relies less heavily on passenger fares. They point out that Tfl relies more heavily on fare income than other global cities including New York, Paris and Hong Kong.
