London day travelcards to be phased out
- Published
Day paper travelcards will no longer be issued under plans
Day travelcards will be phased out, the deputy mayor of London has confirmed.
The daily paper tickets will no longer be sold or accepted on Transport for London (TfL) services including Tube, bus, rail, tram and London Overground.
Seb Dance told the rail minister "TfL can no longer afford" to fund the £40m Travelcard Agreement "which represents a subsidy by Londoners".
Passengers travelling from outside the capital will be expected to use contactless or Oyster cards on arrival.
Last year, 12m day travelcards were sold, double the number in Covid-hit 2020, but down from 27m in 2018.
Weekly and annual travelcards will still be issued but last year just 20,000 of the latter were sold, down from 185,000 in 2018.
Travelcards offer unlimited travel on services within London, where fares rose an average of 5.9% in March.
In a letter sent to rail minister Huw Merriman on Friday, Mr Dance said "the current price paid to TfL for these tickets is well below the price paid for the same tickets sold within London".
A consultation document, external sets out the changes, which would see the end of paper travelcards altogether.
"We anticipate that, if TfL ceases to accept day travelcards, rail operators will also stop selling Zone 1-6 travelcards," it states.
Child day travelcards would no longer be available, meaning those outside of London would have to apply for a Zipcard, which provides free and discounted travel for those aged under 18, in advance of coming to the capital.
A spokesperson for the mayor of London said: "The mayor is only considering the withdrawal of day travelcards in order to meet the requirements of TfL's funding settlement with government - a deal that was required solely because of the impact of the pandemic.
"He has been clear he does not want to do so but feels that he has been left with no viable alternative."
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "We have provided TfL with more than £6bn in funding support to keep public transport moving.
"Transport in London is devolved, and any decision to withdraw from the travelcard agreement is a matter for the mayor."
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