Ken offers a fare cut as Boris pushes investment
Transport has become the defining issue of this mayoral campaign, with voters facing the choice between one candidate that promises a fare cut and another that says fare rises are a necessary evil to fund investment.
Ken Livingstone’s campaign experienced a surge in support after he set out the “Fare Deal” pledge to cut the cost of transport by seven per cent and then freeze it throughout 2013. He promises to build a cross-river tram and says Boris Johnson wasted funds on “vanity projects” such as the new Routemaster bus.
Johnson’s plans revolve around increasing capacity on existing services and lobbying for TfL to control of suburban rail routes, which he claims will keep costs down and help delay future fare rises. Johnson also says he will introduce 600 new Routemasters, expand the cycle hire scheme and cut tube delays by 30 per cent.