Sadiq Khan launches £24m plan to cut Tube and rail fares on Fridays

Tube and train fares in London could be reduced on Fridays under a £24 million plan announced by Sadiq Khan.

The Mayor of London has asked Transport for London (TfL) to run a three-month trial aimed at increasing passenger numbers and boosting the economy by making all fares off-peak on Fridays.

This would require the support of the wider rail industry.

Someone commuting by Tube from Zone 6 into Zone 1 in central London at peak times currently pays £5.60 per journey.

Under the trial, this fare would be cut by £2 to £3.60 on Fridays.

Mr Khan is proposing to allocate £24 million from his budget for the 2024-25 financial year to support the Friday trial.

TfL statistics show midweek ridership on the Tube is at 85% of pre-pandemic levels, but the figure for Fridays is just 73%.

It is hoped increasing the number of workers going to offices on Fridays would raise revenue for the hospitality sector through additional spending on lunches, after-work drinks and evening entertainment.

Mr Khan said he wants “everyone to be able to make the most all week of living or working in London”.

He went on: “London has really bounced back since the pandemic, but the lack of commuters returning on Fridays is a clear exception – with a major knock-on effect on our shops, cafes and cultural venues.

“That’s why I’ve asked TfL to trial off-peak fares on Fridays, and I encourage Londoners to get involved.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of industry body UKHospitality, said: “There’s no doubt that Fridays have suffered as a result of changes to working patterns since the pandemic, and hospitality businesses have felt that loss of commuter trade.

“Responding to these challenges with innovative trials like off-peak Fridays is exactly the type of flexible approach needed to boost journey numbers and stimulate footfall in our venues.”

The announcement of the trial comes a week after Mr Khan revealed TfL fares will be frozen until March next year, paid for by allocating £123 million of Greater London Authority funding.

Susan Hall, his Conservative opponent in May’s mayoral election, described the fares freeze as a “last roll of the dice”.