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Sunday, 4 January 2015

The Guardian: "London transport enters year of big unknowns"


"With uncertainty over funding, rising traffic levels and a mayor whose attention might be wandering, 2015 could be a tricky year for transport in the capital"

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"The London New Year has brought the annual delight of an increase in public transport fares. These include the price of single bus journeys being hiked to the symbolic height of £1.50. Ten years ago, using Oyster, these cost just £1. Yet 2015’s increase is one of the gentler adjustments of recent times. The average rise is 2.5% compared with the inflation-plus new tariffs Boris Johnson has previously introduced.

"Daily caps on pay-as-you-go fares have been lowered to help some of those many Londoners with part-time jobs or unpredictable work patterns. Such blessings may seem small in the greater scheme of things. But maybe we should enjoy them while they last.

"The next twelve months will be a journey into uncertainty for the capital’s transport chiefs. The biggest doubt will be about the Treasury’s money stream. By autumn the next public spending review will be underway, including decisions about funding for Transport for London (TfL) until (probably) 2020. What species of government will be in charge? How long will it last for? And how will the mayor be passing his time by then?"

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