MPs Slam Plans to Scrap Day Travelcards in London, Causing Fares to Increase for Sussex Residents
Key Highlights :
MPs have hit out at plans to scrap day travelcards in London, which could hike train fares for Sussex residents travelling to the capital. The travelcards, which allow unlimited journeys on public transport in London, including the underground, buses and the Docklands Light Railway, look set to be scrapped in a bid to raise an extra £40 million a year for Transport for London (TfL).
Campaigners have warned that journeys to London would become more expensive if the one-day travelcards are axed. Research by the Campaign for Better Transport revealed that a family of four from Worthing would end up paying 38 per cent more for a trip to the capital should the travelcards be scrapped, with commuters across Sussex also seeing a hike in costs.
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, has urged the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to drop the plans and called on the government to fund Transport for London “fairly”. She said: “When we face a cost of living scandal and a climate emergency, affordable and accessible public transport can be a vital solution for both. “The day travelcard is a lifeline for so many people in Brighton and Hove , and removing it will only push more people on to roads and into financial difficulty.”
Lewes MP Maria Caulfield has run a campaign against the proposal, with hundreds of concerned constituents signing a petition calling on the Mayor and TfL “not to penalise those visiting the capital for work, leisure or seeing friends or family with this unfair increase in train fares”. She said: “Whether it is motorists from Lewes or train passengers, Labour always seem to find a way to make you pay more.”
Norman Baker, former MP for Lewes and director of external affairs at the Campaign for Better Transport, said that scrapping the day travelcard will not only make travel to London more expensive, but also remove access to integrated, seamless ticketing for millions of people. He said: “At a time when we should be doing all we can to encourage people to use green public transport to access London’s shops and attractions, this move is going in entirely the wrong direction. “Public transport works best when you can use one ticket for your whole journey so we need more, not less, integrated ticketing.”
A spokesman for Transport for London said the decision remains “reversible” but that TfL needs to “save money and generate additional amounts of revenue” due to requirements of the government’s funding settlements. “TfL is keen to work collaboratively with the Department for Transport and the Rail Delivery Group to discuss options that would allow day travelcards to continue to be provided, while ensuring TfL can meet the requirements of the funding settlement with the government,” he said.
MPs across Sussex have criticised the plans to scrap day travelcards in London, which could lead to increased train fares for commuters travelling to the capital. Research by the Campaign for Better Transport highlighted that a family of four from Worthing would end up paying 38 per cent more for a trip to London should the travelcards be scrapped.
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, urged the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to drop the plans and called on the government to fund Transport for London “fairly”. Lewes MP Maria Caulfield has also campaigned against the plans, with hundreds of concerned constituents signing a petition against the proposal.
Norman Baker, former MP for Lewes and director of external affairs at the Campaign for Better Transport, said that scrapping the day travelcard will not only make travel to London more expensive, but also remove access to integrated, seamless ticketing for millions of people. He said: “Public transport works best when you can use one ticket for your whole journey so we need more, not less, integrated ticketing.”
A spokesman for Transport for London said the decision remains “reversible” but that TfL needs to “save money and generate additional amounts of revenue” due to requirements of the government’s funding settlements. The spokesman added that TfL is keen to work collaboratively with the Department for Transport and the Rail Delivery Group to discuss options that would allow day travelcards to continue to be provided.
MPs have urged the Mayor of London and the government to reconsider the plans to scrap day travelcards in London, which could cause fares to increase for Sussex residents travelling to the capital. Campaigners have called for integrated, seamless ticketing to continue, as this is what works best for public transport. It remains to be seen what the outcome of these discussions will be, but it is clear that the scrapping of day travelcards could have a significant impact on commuters from Sussex.
