Last week it was revealed that Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, wants to close every ticket office at stations operated by Transport for London over the next two years. The move would mean no ticket offices at the TfL-operated parts of Norwood Junction or West Croydon stations, something which the Croydon North MP, Steve Reed OBE, has already criticised, saying that it will leave many passengers vulnerable and unsafe.

Tickets please: Tooting MP Sadiq Khan has launched a petition to save TfL-operated ticket offices and to call for a fares freeze

Now Tooting MP Sadiq Khan, Labour’s shadow minister for London, has launched a petition to save the TfL ticket offices.

“Boris Johnson has an abysmal record of hiking fares year on year that has contributed enormously to the cost-of-living crisis in London.

“London fares are now the most expensive in the world. Since Boris became Mayor, the cost of a single bus journey has increased by 56 per cent and the price of a Zone 1-6 travel card has increased by £440 a year.

“He must recognise that Londoners are struggling and that their budgets can’t keep stretching forever. He must freeze fares at least at the rate of inflation for 2014.The Mayor can afford to do this; all that is missing is the political will.

“On top of this, the Mayor plans to give Croydon folk a worse service for their money. Last week his secret plans to close every ticket office in London were revealed. His plans mean you will get no help if your Oyster card doesn’t work, or is lost or stolen at West Croydon or Norwood Junction. There will be no help for tourists who need advice or disabled passengers who need assistance.

“It raises questions about whether there will be enough staff at stations to deal with emergencies. It will result in 2,000 job losses.

“This is one of the worst examples of breaking a manifesto promise I have ever seen in London politics. No wonder the public are so cynical of politicians.”

• To sign the petition against above-inflation fare hikes and the closure of a ticket office near year, click on this link.

• Inside Croydon: Croydon’s only independent news source, based in the heart of the borough – 262,183 page views (Jan-Jun 2013)
  
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