TfL consults on proposals to withdraw cash fare payments

Transport for London (TfL) has launched a public consultation to seek customers’ views on proposals to withdraw cash fare payments on London buses. Since the introduction of the Oyster card in 2003, and the launch of contactless payment cards on London’s buses last year, fewer than one per cent of bus fares are now paid in cash, down from 25 per cent in 2000. TfL is now putting proposals to passengers that would see cash fare payments on London buses ending in 2014. Research shows that the majori
August 20, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
1466 Transport for London (TfL) has launched a public consultation to seek customers’ views on proposals to withdraw cash fare payments on London buses.

Since the introduction of the Oyster card in 2003, and the launch of contactless payment cards on London’s buses last year, fewer than one per cent of bus fares are now paid in cash, down from 25 per cent in 2000.  TfL is now putting proposals to passengers that would see cash fare payments on London buses ending in 2014.    

Research shows that the majority of cash paying passengers tend to be aged between 16 and 34, with 80 per cent of all passengers using cash doing so because they have insufficient funds on their Oyster card - using a contactless payment card would be a convenient option when this happens.

Leon Daniels, managing director for TfL Surface Transport, said: “The proposals we are consulting on reflect the changing way that our customers pay for their journeys – with the vast majority now benefiting from the best possible fares and the convenience that Oyster and contactless payment cards deliver.

“It costs US$38 million a year to accept cash on buses and with so few customers paying cash it makes sense for us to consider removing it. The savings made can then be invested into making further vital improvements to the capital’s transport network.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Vehicle ownership - a thing of the past?
    May 22, 2012
    Convergence of electron-powered vehicles with connected vehicle technologies could mean that only a few decades from now the idea of owning a vehicle will be entirely alien to the road user. By Technolution chief scientist Dave Marples with Jason Barnes Even when taken individually, many of the developments going on and around vehiclebased mobility will bring about major changes in transportation. Taken collectively, the transformations we might expect are nothing short of profound. Enumeration of the influ
    Read More
  • TfL under pressure as motorcycle deaths rise
    March 8, 2016
    According to a recent report by the London Assembly Transport Committee report into motorcycle safety, Easy Rider: Improving motorcycle safety on London roads, around 17 per cent of those injured on London’s roads and 24 per cent of serious casualties are motorcyclists, despite this mode accounting for one percent of traffic. After a period of decline it appears the number of motorcyclist casualties in London is growing again. In 2010, 4,337 motorcyclists were injured on London’s roads. By 2014, this had gr
    Read More
  • Contracts awarded for London’s traffic signals upgrade
    July 18, 2014
    Transport for London (TfL) has awarded new traffic signals maintenance contracts, worth around US$542 million for up to eight years, which will see the capital’s 6,000 traffic signals upgraded and maintained to the latest, greenest standards. Awarded to Telent Technology Services for west and south-west London, Siemens for north and north-west London and Cubic Transportation Systems for south-east London, the new Traffic Control Management Services contracts will help expand the use of intelligent traf
    Read More
  • Substantial savings from smarter street lighting
    February 25, 2015
    As authorities strive to reduce expenditure and carbon emissions, Colin Sowman looks at some of the smart ways of managing street lighting while containing costs and maintaining safety. Street lighting can account for 40% of an authority’s energy consumption. So, faced with the need to reduce outgoings, some authorities are looking for smart ways of managing street lighting or even turning off swathes of street lights in the small hours. Back in 2008 the E-street Initiative report concluded that authorities
    Read More

Highlighted Content