*Public transport users picking up cost of Mayor’s car-friendly policies

Responding to the news that London’s Mayor is expected to announce an above inflation rise in bus and tube fares, Darren Johnson, a Green Party member of the London Assembly, commented:

"If Boris was not consulting on the scrapping the western extension of the congestion charge, or had not abolished the £25 charge on gas guzzling vehicles, I doubt that these fare rises would be necessary. His actions to protect motorists are likely to lose TfL around £110m annually and it would be grossly unfair for public transport users to be forced to meet these costs.”

Darren argues that at a time of high petrol prices we should be aiming to keep public transport fares as low as possible to convince Londoners to switch to this mode of travel. A rise in fares at this time of economic hardship could leave many Londoners struggling to meet their basic living costs.