Londoners are facing the biggest increase in public transport fares for a decade from January 2022.
The cost of bus, Tube and Overground services is to be hiked by 4.8% next year, the largest rise since 2012, under the terms of the UK Government’s bailout of Transport for London.
Increases are usually linked to the previous July’s Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation, which was confirmed as 3.8 per cent for July 2021 by the Office for National Statistics on Wednesday.
The Government is demanding RPI plus one percentage point must be used on TfL services.
Emma Gibson, director of passenger watchdog London TravelWatch, warned that fares in the capital “need to be affordable if people are to be tempted back to public transport”.
She said: “Many Londoners have already suffered financially as a result of the pandemic, so a 4.8% fares increase is the last thing they will want to see.”
Rail fares are usually increased every January across Britain, but the coronavirus pandemic meant this year’s increase was delayed until March 1.
Ticket prices in England and Wales rose by an average of around 2.6% in March, representing RPI for July 2020 plus one percentage point.
The Government said any decision on increases will be made later this year.
Analysis by the Labour Party indicated that next year average fares could rise to 50% more than they were in 2010.
Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said: “Rail travel has long been unaffordable for many people, thanks to the Conservatives prioritising the profits of private companies over passengers.
“This would be yet another eye-watering hike hot on the heels of the failure of the Government’s so-called money-saving flexi ticket scheme.”
A spokesman for the UK Government’s Department for Transport said: “No decision has been made on national rail fares.
“The Government is considering a variety of options and we will announce our decision in due course.”
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