Details of the new fares from 1st March 2021 have been released today. As predicted, the average increase is 2.6% which is last July’s inflation rate of 1.6% plus a 1% uplift mandated by the government. Both TfL and NR fares are subject to increases this year, although TfL have chosen to freeze a few of their cheaper fares. Some highlights that I’ve noticed so far:
- TfL zone 1 single fare frozen at £2.40 meaning that you’ll need to make 4 journeys to reach the new zone 1-2 daily cap of £7.40.
- Most child fares are frozen yet again, including the 75p off-peak single fare within zones 1-6. The off-peak cap does rise to £1.55, but this only affects those who make more than two journeys, or where one is in the afternoon peak.
- TfL off-peak single fares (zones 2-6) rise depends on how many zones are used. Single zone frozen, 2 zones up 10p, 3 or more zones up 20p which makes a pretty hefty 13.3% increase for those latter fares.
- Bus and tram singles rise 5p to £1.55 and the daily cap remains at 3 fares so now £4.65.
- NR and NR+TfL single fares in zones 1-6 all rise by 10p, except the zone 1-6 peak fare which goes up by 20p. I’ll write further on this topic in a separate article.
- Caps and travelcards all rise by 2.6% +/- a little for rounding purposes.
Full details of pretty much all the fares affected within zones 1-9 are available in the appendix to the Mayoral decision which can be read here.