Sadiq Khan says the lack of people commuting to London to work on Fridays is having a “huge impact on our shops, restaurants, pubs and cultural venues”, so he hopes a “groundbreaking” plan to cut Tube and train fares will encourage more people back into their offices. Now passengers using contactless and Oyster cards for journeys on Fridays will be charged off-peak fares.
Khan has set aside £24m from his budget for the 2024/25 financial year to compensate for the money that Transport for London (TfL) and train operators will lose during the trial, which runs until the end of May. The trial covers services operated by the Tube, the Elizabeth line, London Overground and main line train operators.
Peak pay-as-you-go fares usually apply on London Underground and train services on weekdays between 6.30am and 9.30am and between 4pm and 7pm. This means that someone commuting on the Tube from zone 6 in outer London to zone 1 in the center of the capital at rush hour will pay £5.60 per journey. During the trial this price has been reduced to £3.60 on Fridays.
The pilot also means 60+ and Freedom Pass cards that cannot be used before 9am on weekdays are valid all day on Fridays. TfL statistics show midweek Tube ridership is at 85 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, but the figure for Fridays is just 73 per cent.
Khan hopes an increased number of workers going to the office on Fridays would increase revenue for the hospitality sector through additional spending on lunches, after-work drinks and evening entertainment. Mr Khan said: “Off-peak Fridays are here. I am delighted that this ground-breaking trial is now underway and that there will also be special hospitality, business and entertainment offers on Fridays.
“It is clear that many people are still not coming into the office on Fridays compared to before the pandemic, which is having a major knock-on effect on our shops, restaurants, pubs and cultural venues. So, in addition to freezing ticket prices for another year, we are introducing this off-peak period for to get more Londoners back to the office on Fridays and to support hospitality, culture and retail as we continue to build a better and more prosperous London for all.”
The daily price cap for distribution charges has been changed to an off-peak price on Fridays during the trial. One-way paper tickets and Day Travelcards still have peak travel restrictions. Examples of other London discounts being introduced for Fridays include 20 per cent off the bill at Gaucho restaurants, off-peak prices to see the musical Wicked and half price tickets to the Turn It Up exhibition at the Science Museum.
