Sir Sadiq Khan's London fares hike will cost passengers an additional £168 million a year, newly published documents reveal. The mayor announced in December that Tube, London Overground and Elizabeth line fares would increase by an average of six per cent from March 1, in line with Government orders tied to a £2.2 billion investment in Transport for London.
Documents signed by Sir Sadiq on Tuesday and published on the Greater London Authority website predict TfL's income from Tube and train fares will rise by £172 million in 2026/27, while bus fare income will fall by £4 million. This is the latest blow to the capital's bus network, which costs £1.2 billion a year in subsidies and faces route curtailments due to a 20 per cent drop in passenger numbers since the pandemic.
Zone 1 peak fares will increase by 6.9 per cent, from £2.90 to £3.10, while off-peak fares, including weekends, will rise by 7.1 per cent, from £2.80 to £3. Journeys including zone 7 will increase by 40p, and those in zones 8 and 9 by 50p, affecting passengers on the outer reaches of the Metropolitan line, Elizabeth line and London Overground. However, the cost of travelcards and daily and weekly caps will be frozen, following the Government's decision to freeze national rail fares from March.
Bus fares remain at £1.75, frozen until July 5, after which the mayor must decide whether to extend the freeze or introduce changes. Elizabeth line fares between central London and Heathrow will increase by 11.5 per cent, from £13.90 to £15.50, including a new Heathrow premium of £9.60. Adult cash fares within zones 1-6 remain unchanged.
A spokesperson for the mayor said: 'The mayor will always freeze TfL fares when he can. But the Government has made clear that it expects TfL fares to rise as part of its £2.2 billion funding deal.' Thomas Turrell, transport spokesman for the City Hall Conservatives, criticised the rise, stating: 'This Labour Government has disastrously lost control of the economy... it is everyday Londoners who will be making up for their mistakes.'
