Boris puts bus fares up 20%!

Boris has just announced the new bus and tube fares that will take effect in January. Not bound by any formula he has happily hiked our bus fares up by well above inflation. Pay as you go bus fares rise from £1 to £1.20 (a 12.7% rise) whilst a seven day bus pass will rise 20% from £13.80 to £16.60. And at the same time he's announced a cut in bus schedules....

It's all very well for him to say "Nobody wants to make an announcement like this, especially when Londoners are feeling the effects of the recession." But his actions speak louder than words.

Whilst tube fares also also going up it's those of us reliant on buses that have been hardest hit. Like many people in Peckham Rye, I rarely use the tube and am very reliant on the 484 and 343 - services that are always packed during the morning and evening peak hours.

So Boris' transport strategy seems to be to either price us off the buses or keep us queuing at the bus stops.

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