Writing for the London Loves Business website, Caroline Pidgeon discusses the areas where Transport for London needs to treat Londoners fairly - including returning the £55m held on dormant Oyster cards, and stopping the overcharging of passengers for "incomplete" journeys - and outlines the London Liberal Democrats' key transport policies:
There really are policies which can make fares fairer, which are affordable and will not undermine TfL’s much needed investment programme.
The Liberal Democrats are advocating a one hour bus ticket, so people can make two or three short bus journeys for the cost of a single fare. You can do this on the Tube, so it is only right bus users can do the same. Time limited bus fares are actually quite common in other European cities. It is time London caught up.
We also advocate reduced early bird Tube, DLR and London Overground fares. Some of London’s lowest paid workers, people who typically open up and clean our offices for example, would greatly benefit from reduced fares for journeys ending before 7.30 am. Such a policy would also help to reduce overcrowding.
We also need to recognise that not everyone works a conventional five day working week. We need to start providing competitively priced travelcards for part-time workers who work three days a week.
These policies are affordable but would make an immense difference to Londoners with the smallest pockets.