One Hour Bus Ticket

The request was partially successful.

Dear Transport for London,

Please could you provide me with any costings, cost-benefit analyses or feasibility studies carried out into the possible introduction of a one hour bus ticket on the TfL network.

Yours faithfully,

M Deutsch

FOI, Transport for London

Dear M Deutsch

Thank you for your email received by Transport for London (TfL) on 6
January 2011, asking for information about costings, cost-benefit analyses
and feasibility studies carried out into the possible introduction of a
one-hour bus ticket on the TfL network.

 

Your request will be processed in accordance with TfL’s Freedom of
Information Act 2000 procedure and a response will be provided to you by 3
February 2011 in accordance with the Act.

In the meantime, if you would like to discuss this matter further, please
do not hesitate to contact me on the below details.

Yours sincerely

James Grant

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

Corporate Governance Directorate

General Counsel

Transport for London

[1][TfL request email]

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FOI, Transport for London

1 Attachment

Dear M Deutsch

Thank you for your email received by Transport for London (TfL) on 6
January 2011 asking for costings, cost-benefit analyses or feasibility
studies concerning the introduction of a one-hour bus ticket on the TfL
network.

Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. Unfortunately TfL does not hold the information you
have requested.

This suggestion has been made in the past, however TfL has not conducted
any formal studies or evaluations into it. This is because neither TfL nor
the Mayor wishes to increase the standard pay as you go bus fare, which
would be necessary if revenue was to be maintained.

As an alternative, the Daily Price Cap of £4 for bus journeys using
Oyster provides a simple, cost-effective option for people needing to use
several buses in the course of a day. Those who regularly use several
buses can also benefit from the discounts offered using seven day, monthly
and annual season tickets.

Please accept our apologies that we are unable to assist you on this
occasion, but if you have any further queries with which we can be of
assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

If you are not satisfied with this response, please read the attached
help-sheet entitled ‘Your right to appeal’

Yours sincerely

James Grant

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

Corporate Governance Directorate

General Counsel

Transport for London

[1][TfL request email]

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Dear Mr Grant,

Thank you for your reply.

In an exchange in the London Assembly, the Mayor said that "all the models I have seen show that it would cost TfL substantial sums in revenue."[1] This suggests that models or costings do exist. Does TfL have no record of these? If not, is it likely that the Mayor's office would be able to supply further information?

[1] http://mqt.london.gov.uk/mqt/public/supp...

Yours sincerely,

Mr M Deutsch

FOI, Transport for London

1 Attachment

02 February 2011

Our ref: IRV-105-1011

Dear Mr Deutsch

Thank you for your email.

TfL's response to your request will be reconsidered as part of an internal review. The review be conducted in accordance with the attached policy. A response will be provided as soon as possible and in any event by 02 March 2011.

Please contact me if you would like to discuss this matter.

Kind regards

Matthew Towey | Information Governance Adviser
Information Access & Compliance Team | Corporate Governance | Transport for London
5th Floor, Windsor House, 42-50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL
T: 020 7126 3063/ auto 63063

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Alan Wright left an annotation ()

TfL have quoted a figure of around £40M for the cost of this change.

FOI, Transport for London

10 February 2011

Our ref: IRV-105-1011

Dear Mr Duetsch

The internal review of your Freedom of Information request has been completed.

As part of the review our Fares & Ticketing department was asked again whether costings or models are held. Fares & Ticketing has confirmed that although no formal studies have been undertaken they have been asked about 'one-hour bus tickets’ and made a calculation on the impact on revenues, which is set out below. They also confirmed that nothing more detailed than this has gone over to City Hall or indeed to the Commissioner.

There are around 500m bus journeys made each year using pay-as-you-go. Of these journeys, around 80m are made within an hour of a previous journey. The pay-as-you-go single fare is £1.30. If £1.30 became a one hour fare rather than a single ride fare, the loss of revenue would be over £100m each year although it is estimated that this figure would be reduced when one takes into account the following factors

• Many “second” legs are subject to capping, so these second legs may already be charged less than £1.30

• The ‘reduction’ in fare for those who use more than one bus within an hour may generate additional use.

• The one hour ticket may encourage Tube users travelling say from Zone 3 to Zone 1 to switch from Tube to bus if the cost of a journey with using two buses is the same as the cost using only one.

Precise evaluation of all these factors is difficult but Fares & Ticketing believe that there would be a substantial loss of revenue from a one hour ticket, almost certainly in excess of £60m.

I hope this information is of assistance. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of this internal review, you can refer the matter to the independent authority responsible for enforcing the Freedom of Information Act at the following address.

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF

A complaint form is available on the ICO’s website (www.ico.gov.uk).

Yours sincerely

Matthew Towey | Information Governance Adviser
Information Access & Compliance Team | Corporate Governance | Transport for London
5th Floor, Windsor House, 42-50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL
T: 020 7126 3063/ auto 63063

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Dear Mr Towey,

Thank you for your response - this is more or less the information I was hoping to receive.

Yours sincerely,

Mr M Deutsch