Are fares fair? - Caroline Pidgeon highlights unfairness in London fares

12.00.00am GMT Wed 25th Mar 2009

The extreme variation in fares for the same journey facing commuters and visitors was brought to the attention of Boris Johnson by Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport Spokesperson at today's Mayor's Question Time.

Caroline Pidgeon said:

"It is clear that Boris Johnson has no idea what travel in London actually costs, especially for visitors and tourists. The Mayor couldn't even answer my basic question of what a One Day Travelcard costs.

"Across London there are now huge variations in price between travelling by tube or train. In some cases a train journey can be almost twice the price as an identical tube journey."

"Within months the whole of the London rail network will be covered by Oyster pay as you go, however while there will be a unified ticket system there will be nothing to match it in terms of consistency in the fare structure. A lot of people, whether they live in London or are visitors, run the risk of being ripped off unless action is taken to make the fare structure fairer.

"The Mayor stood on an election manifesto promising an 'emergency summit' with train companies to demand lower fares. A year into his office it is time he delivered on this key pledge."