Sadiq Khan became the target of commuters’ anger this morning after many workers found themselves paying more to travel in London – despite an announcement by the Mayor of a “TfL fares freeze”.

Khan tweeted that Londoners “won’t pay a penny more on four million journeys a day” after it emerged that average rail ticket prices are rising across the country by 3.4% from today, the biggest annual increase since 2013. 

“It’s a scandal that the Government are allowing failing private train companies to increase rail fares again,” he wrote.

“If I can freeze TfL [Transport for London] fares and provide a better service, why can’t they?” 

Thanks to my TfL fares freeze, Londoners won’t pay a penny more on four million journeys a day. It’s a scandal that the Government are allowing failing private train companies to increase rail fares again. If I can freeze TfL fares and provide a better service, why can’t they?

January 2, 2018
But the message triggered a backlash from travellers in the capital who said they had experienced an increase in fares.

“Just wondering where the TfL fares freeze you are talking about is.” 

“Pretty sure I just paid £7 more this morning for my monthly travelcard than I did last year…” another added.

Not ALL TFL fares though! Only the pay as you go fares. Travelcards still have this increase. So perhaps you need to ask why you can’t get all TFL fares fixed? That’s a scandal too!

January 2, 2018
Why are some Londoners paying more to travel?

While four million journeys a day will be protected by Khan’s fare freeze, more than 31 million journeys are made across the network daily.

When Khan said he had presided over “TfL fare freezes”, he was referring to only the part of the TfL network he controls as the Mayor of London.

According to his office, the cost of London travelcards is set by the government in agreement with train operating companies (TOCs), who have decided to increase fares in line with RPI inflation.

This means prices for some passengers will increase by 3.4%.

Khan has now called on the government to follow his policy of freezing fares.

Who will be affected by the fare rise?

Pay as you go caps on the Tube will increase from Tuesday, with the adult daily cap rising from £6.60 to £6.80.

Daily, weekly, monthly and annual travelcards will also get more expensive.

Tim Bellenger, director of policy and investigation at campaign group Travel Watch London, said that research shows that season ticket holders “are amongst the most dissatisfied passengers on the network”.

“They feel increasingly ignored,” he told HuffPost UK. “They don’t think they get as good customer service as they should do.”

Whose fares will stay the same?

Anyone travelling on the Tube and other rail services in London where Tube fares apply will not see a change in travel costs when making a pay as you go single journey.

Where fares are set by TOCs, pay as you go fares could increase by up to 20p.

Meanwhile, pay as you go bus and tram fares will stay at £1.50 and the open day cap will remain at £4.50. The season pass price for bus and tram travel has also been frozen at £21.20 for a seven day ticket.

According to the Mayor of London, the freeze will save the average household in the capital £200 by 2020.