That’s the questions Londoners are facing today after the Mayor announced a freezing of most fares across the capital’s transport network from January 2008.
The news has prompted some Assembly Members to suggest he’s playing politics with the fare structure in the hope of winning votes in next year’s Mayoral elections which conveniently comes just a few months after the new fare structure takes hold.
Mr Livingstone of course denies the charge claiming he has “a 25-year record of…cutting fares whenever I’ve got the chance” though those who saw the cost of a single cash bus fare increase from £1.50 to £2.00 this January may not recognise that description.
Whatever his motivation for the today’s announcement Livingstone knows there are few votes in opposing the freeze but by not publishing a forecast of likely fares for 2009 he’s left himself vulnerable to claims that prices will have to increase after the election.
