Sadiq Khan plans to increase TfL tariffs by almost 6% and increase council tax

Sadiq Khan has inflicted even more misery on Londoners today by unveiling proposals to increase Transport for London’s fares by almost six per cent from March and increase council tax bills by £38.55 a year to fund more PCSOs .

The plan means the weekly cap on bus and tram use in the capital is set to increase by £1.40 to £24.70. Tube passengers are seeing the weekly cap for travel in zones one and three rise by £3 to £48.

Passengers now pay £2.80 for a Zone 1 peak ticket – up 12 per cent – and £2.70 off peak hours. Most other single fares will increase by 10. Bus fares will rise by 10p to £1.75, while a weekly bus and tram pass will cost £24.70 – an increase of £1.40.

Sadiq Khan today announced plans to hit Londoners with increases in public transport fares and council tax

The average increase of 5.9 per cent across all modes of transport comes into effect from March 5 – mirroring the cap set by the Department for Transport (DfT) for regulated fare increases in England from the same date.

Abigail Wood, chief executive of charity Age UK London, said: “We are devastated that the voices of older Londoners have been ignored.

“Affordable transport is a lifeline, not a luxury, and this cut penalizes them as they have no choice about when and how to travel.

“Age UK London is deeply concerned that this comes at the worst possible time as the cost of living crisis deepens and increasing numbers of older Londoners are pushed into poverty.

“One in four older Londoners lives in poverty – the highest level in the country – and London has some of the highest cost of living in the world.

“This is the wrong decision at the worst possible time.”

Meanwhile, Mr Khan also presented plans to increase the community tax to fund an additional 500 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), a 50% increase in the number of officers.

He plans to increase his share of council tax bills for the average Group D property by £38.55 a year from April, including £15 for police investments.

Tube passengers are seeing the weekly cap for travel in zones one and three rise by £3 to £48

On the fare increases, Mr Khan said: “I have frozen TfL fares for five years from 2016 to make transport more affordable for millions of Londoners.

“But my hands have been tied since the pandemic by the strict conditions set by the Government in the recent emergency funding agreement for TfL, which means London fares must be increased by the same amount as national rail fares – 5.9 %.

“This is a challenging time for our city, with a government that is not fully funding our public services, but I am committed to making my commitment so we can continue to build a greener, safer and fairer London for all.”

Mr Khan also announced the suspension of free travel before 9am on weekdays for people aged 60 and over will be permanent.

The plan means the weekly cap on bus and tram use in the capital is set to increase by £1.40 to £24.70

The benefit was withdrawn in June 2020 as part of a coronavirus funding deal between TfL and the Government.

Peter Fortune, Conservative Deputy Leader of the Greater London Authority, said: “London is now facing a major cost from the Khan crisis.

“Sadiq Khan’s council tax will be up 57 per cent since his election as he hits Londoners with another big hike in fares.”