Boris' new year present to bus users

Tory London Mayor Boris Johnson has hit public transport users hard by massively increasing fares.

Labour's London Assembly transport spokesperson, Val Shawcross, slammed the decision. She said: "This unnecessary, above inflation fare hike is going to hit the pocket of every Londoner hard and makes a complete mockery of the Mayor's promise to provide value for money.

"Boris Johnson has given us no evidence whatsoever for his claim that there is a transport finance blackhole. What the evidence does point to is an increase in passenger numbers and revenue in TfL's coffers. If anything there should be a surplus this year, as there was in previous years. For Boris to blame his predecessor for this fare hike is nothing more than a cheap political shot.

"If the Mayor genuinely is concerned about the fares budget then he should have thought twice about abolishing the £25 higher charge for gas guzzlers and should reconsider his expensive plans to replace the bendy bus. It's strange to say the least that Boris is consulting about the future of the Western extension of the congestion charge but hasn't seen fit to consult Londoners on this fare hike which will hit all passengers hard. It just smacks of playing political games with London's transport network".

Example fare rises (from January 2009)

Single bus fare was: 90p
From January: £1
This 10% rise will affect around 1.3 million Londoners

Single Tube journey was: £2
From January: £2.20
A 10% rise

Pictured: a 59 bus at Waterloo (Oxyman, Wikimedia)