Make bus and train prices higher!
Oh…hang on…
Tags: TfL6 Comments
Boris Watch
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July 13th, 2008 by
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6 responses so far ↓
I expect he’ll abolish money-wasting, Socialist initiatives such as the TfL School Party Travel Scheme which Ken set up to enable school parties to use public transport for free for visits to venues of educational or cultural interest, such as museums.
Amusingly, this is a policy that may befit an interpretation of ‘da Left’. Parker speculates that he might raise fares in order to fund the state sector.
Hmm: http://www.recessmonkey.com/2008/03/09/ken-on-the-buses/
It’s worth noting in all this that the only contribution Londoners *alone* make to TfL is through the farebox - the rest comes from central government grant (currently, in other words, Alistair Darling). There’s a tiny amount called the ‘precept’ which does come from the GLA budget, but it’s tiny compared to the multi-billion pound TfL budget. Obviously the massive increase in bus use has contributed significantly, as has the Congestion Charge as has Venezuala. Raising fares because the last two aren’t bringing in the wonga (due to Boris, of course) or because a recession is reducing farebox revenue is *not* going to be very well received.
‘Properly funding’ the next generation Routemaster is going to push up the fares of itself. Still, I’m sure all the pensioners scrambling up the staircases will be eternally grateful.
TBH (and I was knackered at the time) I’d forgotten my full list of ‘Boris Policies That Cost TfL Money For No Real Benefit’. Neo-RM is obviously the biggest one, particularly if he really wants 1500 of the bloody things, complete with underworked ‘conductors’ not selling tickets and watching me in case I scratch the windows.