LT fares doubling but zonal system is kept
Page 14
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
LONDON TRANSPORT bus fares will retain the advantages of the Fares Fair zonal system introduced by Ken Livingstone's Greater London Council and outlawed by the recent and now famous Law Lords decision, writes NOEL MILLIER.
In order to recoup the cost of the cheap fares package, all fares are to be doubled on March 21. According to LT, the cheap fares package has put it more than £60 million in the red, Now, the "short hop" fare will become 20p and the various zonal fares will be 40p, 60p and 80p maximum. Longer-duration bus passes will also be doubled but will remain attractively priced to attract passengers. LT is also to re-introduce the . pass on its sections of route outside the GLC area.
Transport secretary David Howell has also written to the GLC to inform it that legislation will be laid before Parliament as soon as possible to enable concessionary fares for old persons to be retained. And the GLC will be enabled to lend LT money to balance its books.
A cut in bus mileage of about 15 per cent of scheduled mileage — five per cent of actual mileage — is also proposed.
This will necessitate a cut back in the number of staff required although no large-scale redundancies are proposed. It is thought that natural wastage and retirement should take care of this requirement.
Despite the recent GLC deci sion not to defy Law Lords ruling, and the budget set for London Transport, the unions have announced that they intend fighting to retain the Fares fair cheap fares policy.
The Transport and General Workers Union, representing London's busmen, is united with the railway unions on this matter.
They are launching a campaign, including possible industrial action, aimed at getting the law changed to allow the cheap fares.
The retention of the zonal fares system does give LT scope to extend one-person bus operation and no-change farebox bus operation to the Central London zone as well as the suburbs. This will provide the opportunity for more attractive boarding times as well as increased vehicle use.