Dear Friends, Colleagues and Elected Representatives,
ERTA has been following this for a while. Please wade in in whatever capacity and retain the walk-on, walk-off paper-based Travelcard benefits and accessibility to non-digital age people, including those with walking and hidden disabilities which the Government seem blinkered to as per many 'I'm alright Jack' who want reform to mean de-staffing of stations and support for rail and bus users it seems. At a time of environmental concern and a need to get people out of cars and cut road emissions, getting public transport sorted should be a top priority, instead we're trading cuts and rationalisation. Please write to your MP. The person who sent us this information wishes to remain anonymous but the source-references should speak for themselves.
It is not just a London matter, but covers a wider area.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Pill
ERTA Secretary
" You may remember I emailed you a year ago in regards to TFL proposing to withdraw the Travelcards, I have more bad news to break!
I've been sent the 2023 draft Business Plan, on page 42 it's revealed TFL is still considering to withdraw from the Travelcard Agreement with the Train Operating Companies.
As TFL is under a new financial settlement by the government, I've scanned through the settlement letter dated 30 August 2022, there's no mention about withdrawing from the Travelcard Agreement.
Recently, the London Assembly Members have also raised concerns about the proposal to withdraw from the Travelcard Agreement, TFL Commissioner Andy Lord said this is subject to Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) which is expected to be completed later this month.
The video from the recent London Assembly Budget and Performance Committee with timestamps and links to the stream.
27:30
35:15
The current Oyster Pay As You Go system is not suitable because they have maximum journey times and they charge you a maximum fare if you forgot to touch out or their Oyster readers have stopped working, or enthusiasts who like to explore by using the TFL and railway system within the Travelcard zones. The proposal will affect people that live outside of the Oyster Pay As You Go system, it's impossible to ticket break as you have a longer journey by exiting the station and touching in, and you end up paying more with a standard ticket if the outboundary One Day Travelcard is removed! This is not the time especially we are in a cost of living crisis!
On the TFL website, it says "We will not give a refund if you have already claimed 3 maximum fare refunds in the same calendar month."
You may remember I've quoted various legislations in relation to TFL requiring to cooperate with Secretary of State for Transport on railways, Travelcard Agreement document etc. I've noticed one clause which could breach the Mayor's general transport duty on transport integration.
Greater London Authority Act 1999
Section 141
General transport duty.
(1) The Mayor shall develop and implement policies for the promotion and encouragement of safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport facilities and services to, from and within Greater London.
(2) The powers of the Authority under this Part shall be exercised for the purpose of securing the provision of the transport facilities and services mentioned in subsection (1) above.
(3) The transport facilities and services mentioned in subsection (1) above include facilities and services for pedestrians and are—
(a) those required to meet the needs of persons living or working in, or visiting, Greater London, and
(b) those required for the transportation of freight.
If someone wishes to pursue this by taking legal action against the Mayor of London to try and stop the proposal, it's up to you.
As you know, other areas in the UK and elsewhere already have multi-modal day/weekly/seasonal tickets, this will be unfair if TFL remove the Travelcards including arrangement with the Train Operating Companies.
The government is encouraging local transport authorities (LTAs) to create Travelcard-style multi-modal tickets as part of the Bus Service Improvement Plan.
National Bus Strategy: Bus Service Improvement Plans
Guidance to local authorities and bus operators
There must be seamless, integrated local ticketing between operators and this should be across all types of transport
85. The Strategy sets out a bold ambition for an integrated ticketing approach to allow passengers to buy a through journey for local bus, rail and metro with a single tap on a smartphone. BSIPs should set out at a high level what is required to deliver no fuss, multi-operator tickets and price caps on contactless credit and debit cards, at little or no premium to single operator fares, and where appropriate how this could be expanded to tickets that cover all travel modes (bus, light rail/metro, rail). All buses should accept contactless payment and all operators running on the same route should accept the same tickets.
The campaign to save the Travelcard still remains!"
End.
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