http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4307770.stm

Tubes and buses hit by fare hike


Tube and bus fares in London paid for with cash are set to increase
next year, the Mayor has announced.
A single Tube journey in zone one will cost £3 instead of £2 while a
single bus journey will rise from £1.20 to £1.50, said Mayor Ken
Livingstone.

However fares will fall for holders of the Oyster pre-pay smartcards.

With Oyster, a zone one Tube ride will be cut from £1.70 to £1.50 -
half the cash fare. Mr Livingstone said the aim was for fewer people to pay
with cash.

Speaking at City Hall, Mr Livingstone said the increased fares to be
introduced from January would raise about £80m.

'World's most expensive'

"This proposed fares package focuses on halving the number of cash
journeys made in 2006 to speed up journeys and improve the efficiency of the
network," he said.

He conceded the new single Tube fare of £3 would probably be the most
expensive in the world.

Roger Evans, conservative chairman of the London Assembly Transport
Committee, said: "How can the Mayor expect people to leave their cars at
home when bus and Tube tickets are spiralling out of control?"




London Assembly Lib Dems said the price hikes would clobber tourists
and ultimately businesses during what is already a difficult time in the
wake of the London bomb attacks.

Geoff Pope, Liberal Democrat London Assembly Transport spokesman, said
it would also hit those who cannot use Oyster cards because the majority of
train companies running services to and from the capital still refuse to
accept the card.

A further rise in fares is expected in 2007, the last of three
previously announced price hikes.

The basic fare on London's buses rose by 20p to £1.20 in January this
year.

From August this year, all under-16s have been entitled to free travel
on London's buses and trams and this will be extended to all under-18s in
full-time education by September next year.