The increase in tube fares of 3.9% at a time of deflation and nonexistent pay increases (or worse) will hit everyone. But the massive increase in bus fares of 12.7% will impact the most on those in London who can ill afford it. As our good Comrade John Prescott puts it in his blog
“Thanks to Boris, the average couple will now have to shell out an extra £263 a year. That might be chicken feed to people like Boris, but not the majority of people in the capital.
Why do working class Londoners have to pay more? Because Boris is looking after his own in West London. The western extension to the congestion charge zone, which would have provided an extra £70m a year, was scrapped by Johnson.
He also axed the £25 charge for the most polluting cars driving into central London, protecting the Chelsea tractors and Porsches but costing London a projected £50million a year.
So the poorest in London are now effectively subsidising Boris, Dave, George and their Notting Hill friends to clog up the roads with their 4X4s on the school run.”
Nuf said?
I was particularly pleased that despite the time of year the London Labour Party had organised such an important event at possibly the most difficult time to do so. More please!
