The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today confirmed that a trial where Tube and rail fares on pay as you go with contactless and Oyster will be off-peak all day on Fridays, will begin next Friday on 8 March.
The Mayor has introduced this trial from next Friday to help TfL and rail operators to better understand if off-peak fares on a Friday could help drive ridership and boost London’s wider economic recovery. The three-month trial will run until 31 May and will be keenly watched by major cities looking to bounce back after the pandemic. The trial follows the previous announcement that the Mayor has frozen TfL fares until March 2025, further helping to support Londoners struggling with the cost of living and London’s recovery from the pandemic.
Peak pay as you go fares apply between 06:30 and 09:30 and between 16:00 and 19:00 on both TfL and National Rail services. Making pay as you go journeys on Fridays off-peak all day will make it cheaper for people to travel – potentially supporting economic growth by encouraging more people back onto public transport and into the office on a day that is currently quieter than other weekdays.
TfL and the Train companies have now agreed a trial whereby all pay as you go journeys made using contactless and Oyster (with the exception of journeys to/from Heathrow airport via Zone 1) will be off-peak on Fridays. The daily cap will also be amended during the trial to cap at an off-peak rate on Friday, helping those who make multiple journeys through the day save even more. Bus and Tram fares across London will not change during the trial as they are set at a flat rate of £1.75 regardless of the time of travel.
The trial will also see 60+ London Oyster photocard and Older Persons’ Freedom Passes allowed to be used on TfL and National Rail services before 9am, helping Londoners with these passes to travel for free all day on Fridays.
To fund the trial, £24m has been allocated from the Mayor of London’s recently approved budget, which will be used to compensate TfL and rail operators for lower fares revenue during the trial and cover the costs for running it.
Off-peak Friday fares could give a much-needed boost to London’s businesses and commuters at a time when the cost-of-living continues to bite. As an example, someone commuting in from Uxbridge (Zone 6) into Holborn (Zone 1) would currently pay £5.60 for travelling on the Tube. Under this trial, this fare would be reduced to £3.60 – saving them £2. Someone commuting from Newbury Park (Zone 4) to Canary Wharf (Zone 2) currently pays £2.80 for the trip. This fare would be reduced down to £1.90 – saving them 90p. On National Rail, someone commuting using pay as you go from Epsom to Waterloo would pay £8.80 midweek but will pay £6.10 on a Friday during the trial – saving them £2.70. These savings would be doubled if the return journey was also made during evening peak hours.
The Mayor hopes that having off-peak fares on Fridays could help encourage more people into the city to make the most of London’s fantastic offering of bars, restaurants, live music venues and theatres. Those who choose to come into the city on Fridays will also be able to make the most of London’s world-leading nightlife, with so many fantastic events and venues to experience this year, as well as the Night Tube and Night Overground running across the weekend.
To further support the trial, TfL and London & Partners, London’s business growth and destination agency, has created a new webpage – https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/off-peak-fridays – where Londoners can see a range of offers available on Fridays during the trial. They have also been working with Business Improvement Districts across London, and key stakeholders, to identify a range of deals to further encourage people to make the most of their Fridays.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said:
“I’m doing all I can to support Londoners through the cost-of-living crisis and to support London’s economic recovery. This includes freezing TfL fares for another year to make transport more affordable for millions of Londoners and to encourage more people to use our transport network. But I want to do more.
“Encouraging more people back into the city on Fridays could give a much-needed boost to the hospitality, business and leisure sectors, supporting London’s wider economic growth as we continue to build a fairer, greener and more prosperous London for everyone. So, I’m making a call to all Londoners: to help London keep roaring back – Let’s Do Fridays!”
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive of Heart of London Business Alliance, said:
“TfL data shows that footfall on Fridays, particularly in the daytime, is yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. This is why we have been calling for innovative trials, such as this welcome announcement, to attract more people to the West End. It has the potential to provide a huge boost to our businesses, particularly in the hospitality, retail and cultural sectors.”
City of London Corporation Policy Chairman, Chris Hayward, said:
“This is a welcome move for our flagship Destination City programme, which sets out a vision for the Square Mile to become a world-leading leisure destination for UK and global visitors, workers, and residents. The capital has a first-class visitor offer, with unparalleled history, cutting edge arts, and outstanding attractions.
“This agreement could deliver a significant boost for London’s pubs, cafes, restaurants, and cultural sector. Slashing travel costs will encourage even more people to enjoy our great capital – and support our businesses – as footfall continues to reach its steady rise back to pre-pandemic levels.”
For more information about the trial –visit www.tfl.gov.uk/fares
To see the latest offers for Fridays visit www.tfl.gov.uk/deals and https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/off-peak-fridays