Millions of pounds will be wasted over the next three years as Mayor Ken strives to achieve his Oyster dream.Ken and TfL's strategy to date, has been a massive hike in cash fares, and the reduction of Ticket Office opening times across the Network, last February. However, the next strategy will end up with the millions of pounds already spent on station refurbishment projects being wasted.
A large proportion of refurbishment budgets, at present, is spent on updating, and in some cases re-building, of ticket offices at their equipment. But all this expenditure will be prove to be fruitless as Ken's TfL quango have made it their next abjective to further close ticket offices.
Along with hiking up cash fares, TfL with make it even harder for people to purchase tickets forcing them on to the Oyster Card. The latest figures have revealed the extent of the closures, only 30 ticket offices are expected to remain, across the network. That means over 250 will be closed permanently over the next three years.
The problem is that millions of pounds have either already been spent, or currently being spent, on ticket office refurbishment, and Ken's Oyster dream will render that investment worthless.
In addition, any closure will no doubt infuriate the trade unions causing more unrest, with your average commuter having to suffer as a result.
1 comment:
I dropped by Nick Boles' bus at the conference (he is still deciding whether to stand) - wasn't that impressed with him.
He chatted to me for 30 seconds, after which a Times columnist appeared, and he rather rudely turned his back to me mid-sentence and trundled off to pay lip service.
On one of his "suggestion postcards" I said he should take a look at public transport in East London (south of river) and a new east london road river crossing.
He send me an email thanking me for my contribution, stating that I can be rest assured my concerns will be addressed by him extending the Oyster card to overland trains. What utter Bulls*t!
I replied, with a rather detailed email as to why I think he has the wrong policy, and asked what his answers were to my points. He hasn't got back to me.
Let's hope he doesn't run.... he seems like a complete plonker, and Ken would win hands down against him.
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