Annabel Smyth wrote:
On Tue, 6 Jul 2004 at 15:54:08, Henry wrote:

Didn't Ken try to introduce a very low flat fare (5 or 10p) when he
was leader of the GLC, only to get it squashed by one of the Borough
Councils in a court case?

Long time ago, but I have a vague recollection.


Yes, he halved the then Tube fare, and the good people of Bromley, not
having the Tube, yelped loudly about having to pay an increase in the
rates (as it then was) to pay for it, and sued - and won. Ken, sadly,
had to increase fares again. I don't remember what he wanted to do
about the buses, though.

The fare reductions applied to both Buses and Underground. The GLC also
wanted to subsidise BR fares in the London area. Thatcher's response was to
threaten to reduce BR's operating grant by the same amount.

Whilst the Fare's Fare scheme was in operation passenger numbers increased
markedly, and fell even more noticably when the High Court's fare increase
was imposed.

IIRC it was also reported at the time that Bromley Council were subsidising
parking for private cars within the borough.