In 2023-2024, Sadiq Khan spent approximately £6.3 million (1) on rebranding the London Overground lines whilst millions of Londoners struggle to pay the travel fares for the most expensive public transport network in the world (2). Now, the mayor has just announced a 4.6% increase on tube and rail fares across London (3). This increase to the already extortionate tube prices will cause financial strain to millions of Londoners.

In addition to spending unnecessary millions on rebranding the Overground, TfL estimated that it was losing £130 million annually because of fare dodging (4). This figure will only increase with rising fares as more people stop being able to afford their daily travel. In contrast, by reducing fares, fare dodging will decrease, saving TfL and partners money.

The government, including Sadiq Khan, are always campaigning for the public to consider their environmental impact when travelling and use more environmentally-friendly modes of transport when possible. However, with tube prices as high as they are, the price of using a private car to travel to work can be cheaper than getting the tube(5), and cycling is simply not an option for many. If Sadiq Khan is serious about saving the environment, he should be investing in the public transport network and offering incentives for people to use public transport. What he should not be doing is increasing transport prices to the extent that people are forced to invest in cars.

In short, the transport network is unaffordable for many. Even those who do get a discount, such as students, do not benefit significantly as these discounts only apply in off-peak times. If we do not act now to change things and make the transport more affordable, more and more Londoners will find themselves unable to afford public transport and the governments' aim to reduce the environmental impact caused by transport will never be actualised.

Sign now to:

• Demand a permanent freeze to tube, rail and bus prices across London.
• Demand more government investment into the London travel network so that fares can be reduced substantially to become match comparable cities eg New York.

References:

1. https://lialondon.net/how-much-did-it-cost-to-rename-the-london-overground-lines-full-expense-of-new-line-names-revealed/
2. London’s Tube has highest metro fares in the world, study reveals | The Standard
3. Fares from 2 March 2025 - Transport for London
4. Transport for London: Fare dodgers cost network £130m a year - BBC News
5. Are Train Companies Fleecing Us? Cost Analysis - Driving Vs Trains