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London Underground users to pay for government shortfall

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Written by Joanna Drag

Friday, 27 March 2009 18:32

London underground users, including students, could face a surge in ticket prices after Transport for London fell short of its efficiency target of £2.4 billion.

An internal report, released by the London Assembly Transport Committee last week, revealed that TfL is on course to saving only £1.8 billion of its original target, in a nine year savings and efficiency scheme.

In a statement to the Evening Standard, an LATC board member said if the difference was not made up, one option would come from “higher-than-expected fare increases.” A TfL spokesperson added that student commuters were not routinely taken into consideration in discussions about fare increases. Barriers at a London Underground station

A survey of 50 Kingston students revealed that 30 per cent use some form of public transport to commute to the university. Of the students asked, 20 per cent said they would try to use buses and trains less if fares increased.

Sam Klemper, a third year undergraduate, said: “I had to move to Kingston because travelling to the university was taking a lot out of me. I didn’t live that far away, but the bus journey was long and weekly travel cards were getting too expensive.”

However, university graduate, Nick Hodges, thinks students should take advantage of their discount travel cards, because full price fares are distinctly more. He said: “I really noticed the difference in price when my student card ran out. I wish I’d taken more advantage of it when I had the chance.”

Only four months ago, transport commissioner, Peter Hendy, claimed that TfL was on course to the full £2.4 billion target, stating that the government body, responsible for most aspects of the transport system in London, is amidst “a continuous effort to drive down costs in every part of TfL.”

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Author of this article: Joanna Drag

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