§ The Earl of Sandwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they can provide figures to explain the annual increases in the cost of public transport in London over the past three years, and whether there can be any guarantee that the cost will not be increased next year.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Baroness Hayman)The annual increases in London transport fares over the last three years is shown in the table below.
Real Fares Indices(1994=100) Real Year On Year Percentage Average increases London Underground LT Buses London Underground LT Buses 1994 100.0 100.0 — — 1995 101.5 101.8 1.5 1.8 1996 103.6 103.9 2.1 2.1 1997 104.9 104.5 1.3 0.6 Because of the restructuring of the railways industry following privatisation, a consistent series of data on rail fares in London is not available. However, from 1 January 1996 until December 1998 increases in a range of fares, comprising main commuter fares and leisure fares, are capped at RPI (retail prices index).
Fare levels on London Transport (LT) services are the statutory responsibility of LT. The Government can give no guarantee that LT fares will not increase next year.