London Mayor Sadiq Khan Freezes TFL Charges Until 2025

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has disclosed the allocation of £123m from GLA funding to maintain a freeze on Transport for London (TfL) fares until March 2025. Khan contends that this decision "will put money back in people’s pockets" and provide a welcomed boost to London's culture, retail, and hospitality sectors.

However, the move has drawn accusations of electioneering ahead of May's mayoral election, with Conservative candidate Susan Hall characterizing it as Khan's "last roll of the dice" and a "fake, magic money tree promise." Hall claims that Londoners will bear the cost through increased council tax, an unfair ULEZ expansion, and a new mileage-based tax.

Khan argues that millions of Londoners stand to benefit from the fare freeze, potentially saving up to £90 per year. He emphasizes the importance of addressing the cost of living crisis and aims to make public transport more affordable, thereby encouraging people to return to the public transport network.

While rail fares across the country are expected to rise, Khan remains committed to preventing a similar increase for TfL customers. This marks the fifth fare freeze during his tenure, resulting in public transport being 21% cheaper than it would have been with inflation-based fare hikes. Khan sees affordable and attractive public transport as integral to his broader plan for building a fairer, greener, and more prosperous London.

The announcement follows the government's recent commitment to provide an additional one-off funding boost of £250m to address a TfL funding gap, with the funds earmarked for various projects, including the introduction of new trains on the Piccadilly line.