London bus passengers will soon be able to make unlimited bus and tram journeys within an hour for the price of a single fare, after London Mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed an update to his Hopper ticket will roll-out this month, though concerns have been raised about lack of fare income for TfL, Mayorwatch reported.
First launched in September 2016, the Hopper allows passengers to switch bus or tram once within an hour of starting their journey. By the end of this month, this will be expanded to allow passengers to complete their journey by taking an unlimited number of buses and trams within
the hour.
The Mayor has also confirmed that weekly fare capping, already available to passengers who pay for their journeys with a contactless debit or credit card, will be introduced by the end of the year.
Today’s announcement has been welcomed by London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon, a long-time advocate of an unlimited bus ticket, who said: “The Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for a one hour bus ticket for a decade.
“Londoners and visitors to the capital will this month start benefiting from a Lib Dem policy finally being delivered.”
However Ms Pidgeon also warned that the mayor will face ‘increasing difficulties in maintaining much needed investment in London’s transport network and sustaining his fare freeze policy.’
This, she said, was due to a ‘triple whammy of rising inflation, falling passenger numbers and the Government ending its grant to TfL.’ A London Assembly report published in December warned that the fares freeze was already depriving TfL of the investment it needs.
TfL’s figures show that fares income for the current year is £64m below projections, with a shortfall of £13m in the most recent reporting period.
