The London Assembly today overwhelmingly agreed a motion calling on the Mayor to explore a proposal to introduce a ‘one hour bus ticket’ to be available on ‘Pay As You Go’ Oyster cards.
The proposal, which would enable passengers to use more than one bus during a 60-minute period without paying more than £1.00, would be more affordable and convenient for Londoners using public transport.
Caroline Pidgeon AM, who proposed today’s original motion, said:
“You can already switch from tube to tube on the same ticket, so it makes real sense to allow people to do the same with buses. It really is unfair that people who use Oyster pay as you go have to pay a new fare every time they change buses.
"One hour bus tickets already operate successfully in Paris, Rome and Brussels. It is now time London caught up and gave bus users a fair deal.
"One hour bus tickets would also make bus travel very attractive to a lot of people who often don't use the bus at present. One hour tickets could even lead to a shift away from people using their cars for short trips and help to reduce congestion across London."
In the press, the Evening Standard and East London Advertiser have reported on the motion.
The full text of the motion passed is as follows:
The London Assembly believes in affordable public transport and in the need to ensure that passengers who use “Pay As You Go” Oyster cards have a fair deal.
The Assembly notes that in other European capital cities bus passengers have the benefit of a time-limited bus ticket which enables them to use two or three buses within a set time without having to pay again.
The Assembly notes that almost a million car journeys every day in London are less than one mile in length, and supports effective ways of encouraging modal shift to public transport so the London Assembly views with concern at this time of economic recession that even short journeys in London may involve using two or three buses and can cost up to £3.00 if more than one bus is needed.
The Assembly commends the proposal for a One Hour Bus Ticket to be available on “Pay As You Go” Oyster card, enabling passengers to use more than one bus during a 60-minute period without paying more than £1.00 and calls on the Mayor of London to instruct Transport for London to investigate the feasibility and the cost implications of this proposal.