Londoners brace for a 6% fare hike on Sadiq Khan's Tube and train services, with a staggering annual cost of £168 million. The impact of the increased fares has been a closely guarded secret for almost two months, only emerging as part of the formal approval process for the mayor's changes. Most Tube and train fares will increase by 10p or 20p, but journeys including Zone 7 will see a 40p hike, while those in Zones 8 and 9 will face a 50p rise. This will affect passengers on the outer reaches of the Metropolitan line, the Elizabeth line, and the London Overground. Child fares in Zones 7 to 9 will increase by 5p or 10p, a consequence of the Government's decision to freeze national rail fares from March, announced last November. Bus fares, currently £1.75 since the end of 2022, last increased in early 2023. In December, Sir Sadiq announced a fares freeze for buses and Croydon tram services until July 5, 2026, with the future of bus fares post-July uncertain. The new documents state that the mayor must decide whether to extend the freeze or introduce changes to bus and tram fares by July 5. Elizabeth line fares between central London and Heathrow Airport will increase by 11.5%, from £13.90 to £15.50, calculated as the new standard Zone 1-6 rate plus a new 'Heathrow premium' levy. Adult cash fares remain unchanged for journeys within Zones 1-6, and the caps on multiple pay-as-you-go journeys will be frozen. The mayoral decision form highlights Sir Sadiq's commitment to affordable public transport, using fare income to invest in the network's reliability and safety. However, under the Government funding deal, he was required to increase TfL fares by RPI+1%, despite the national freeze on regulated fares impacting TfL's income. A spokesperson for the mayor emphasizes his commitment to freezing fares when possible, but acknowledges the Government's expectation for fare increases as part of the £2.2 billion funding deal. Thomas Turrell, a transport spokesman for the City Hall Conservatives, criticizes the Labour Government's economic control and inflation, arguing that Londoners will bear the cost of the fare hike. The overall impact on passengers is an average increase of 3.2%, considering the travelcard freeze and cap on multiple journeys. Sir Sadiq's fare policies have varied; he froze single pay-as-you-go fares in his first term, increased them in 2021, 2022, and 2023 due to government bailouts, and froze them again in 2024 ahead of the mayoral election. Last year, fares increased by 4.6%. Bus and tram fares will not increase until July 2026 at the earliest, with the daily bus and tram cap remaining at £5.25 and the 7-Day Bus & Tram Pass at £24.70 until July.
