11 March 2021
London tube fares have just increased this 1st March 2021, most of them rising above inflation. This could not come at a worse time, as people grapple with job losses and increased financial pressures brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. And it is people who live in the outer London zones who are being hit the hardest by these fare increases. Those who commute through multiple zones, such as Harrow residents whose tube stations mainly fall under zones 4 and 5, will see even higher fares than those who live centrally. This is nothing new – Zone 1–6 travel has increased in cost by £395.60 a year since 2016, compared with a rise of £211.60 for Zone 1–2.
More and more people are being pushed to the edges of London, including Harrow, only to be punished by higher transport costs. The total annual cost of travel into central London from Harrow and Wealdstone station, located in Zone 5, is now £2911.80, compared with £1,702 from Zone 2 – a cost of living penalty of +£1,209.80. If we look at Sudbury Hill station, located in Zone 4, the total annual cost of travel is now £2,447.20. This means commuters here are paying +£745.20 more a year than those in Zone 2.
This isn't fair. Two workers in the same central London hospital should pay the same fare to get to work no matter where they live. Sian Berry, Green Party mayoral candidate, is committing to eliminate this inequality. Sian would bring down outer London fares and create a single zone, with all tube and rail fares costing the same.
As the GLA Brent and Harrow Green Party candidate in the upcoming London Elections, I fully back this radical rethinking of the tubes unfair fares system. I have spent many years commuting into London from Harrow and paying above the odds, whilst those who live closer pay less. I believe two workers in the same central London workplace should pay the same fare to get to work no matter where they live. Paris metro already has a one fare zone, so why can’t we?
Sian is the only Mayoral candidate tackling these runaway costs in outer London and standing up for Brent's workers.
London buses have had flat fares since 2004. It's time to do the same across all TfL journeys.
Read more about Sian’s policy here.
Thank you, Emma Wallace
Green Party Brent and Harrow GLA Candidate
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