From next Friday, 8 March, anyone who uses Pay as you go with contactless or an Oyster card on Fridays to travel on London's Tube and rail lines and in parts of the Southeast will be charged at off-peak rates until 31 May 2024.
The trial is to help Transport for London (TfL) and rail operators find out if off-peak fares on Fridays could improve passenger numbers and boost the city's economic recovery.
All pay-as-you-go journeys made using contactless and Oyster (except for journeys to/from Heathrow Airport via Zone 1) on Fridays will be charged at off-peak rates.
The daily cap will be adjusted during the trial to cap fares at an off-peak rate on Friday. Bus and Tram fares will be unaltered as they are a flat rate of £1.75 regardless of the time of travel.
Freedom Pass holders and those over 60 will also be able to use their passes all day on Friday, including before 9 am. During the trial, there will also be other offers to encourage people to visit London.
Examples of savings include:
- From Uxbridge (Zone 6) into Holborn (Zone 1) which is currently £5.60 on the Tube would be reduced to £3.60.
- From Newbury Park (Zone 4) to Canary Wharf (Zone 2) would be reduced from £2.80 to £1.90.
- From Epsom to Waterloo the normal £8.80 fare will be reduced to £6.10.
To further support the trial, a new webpage https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/off-peak-fridays is available showing the range of offers available on Fridays during the trial. Further information about fares can be found at www.tfl.gov.uk/fares.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “I'm doing all I can to support Londoners through the cost-of-living crisis and to support London's economic recovery. This includes freezing TfL fares for another year to make transport more affordable for millions of Londoners and to encourage more people to use our transport network. But I want to do more.
“Encouraging more people back into the city on Fridays could give a much-needed boost to the hospitality, business and leisure sectors, supporting London's wider economic growth as we continue to build a fairer, greener and more prosperous London for everyone. So, I'm making a call to all Londoners: to help London keep roaring back – Let's Do Fridays!”
Shashi Verma, Chief Technology Officer at TfL said: “While millions of people travel using bus, Tube and rail services across London every day, we are still seeing ridership on Fridays, particularly during peak hours, being lower than other days of the week.
“This trial of making Fridays off-peak will help us better understand how targeted initiatives like this could help potentially support economic growth by encouraging more people back onto public transport and into the office on a day that is currently quieter than other weekdays.”
Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive Officer at Rail Delivery Group, said: “We want more people to use rail. We're pleased that train companies are able to work with Transport for London to offer this trial to customers and we hope it will encourage more people onto trains in the capital.”
“We know that people value rail and as seen from our latest research they plan to use it more in the upcoming months.
“It is a greener, more convenient way to travel into and around London. This trial means customers in London can travel at off-peak prices on Fridays by using pay-as-you-go on Oyster or Contactless.”
Rose Wangen-Jones, Destination Managing Director at London & Partners, which runs VisitLondon.com, said “Friday is the perfect day of the week to explore London, from attractions, galleries and museum lates to unmissable food and drink, nightlife, and theatre. We're delighted to be working with leading tourism partners across the city to offer up exclusive Friday discounts.
“Broadening the visitor experience for Londoners and visitors alike is a crucial part of our London 2030 Tourism Vision, so we're very excited to be working with TfL on this initiative.”
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive of Heart of London Business Alliance, said: “TfL data shows that footfall on Fridays, particularly in the daytime, is yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. This is why we have been calling for innovative trials, such as this welcome announcement, to attract more people to the West End. It has the potential to provide a huge boost to our businesses, particularly in the hospitality, retail and cultural sectors.”
Ruth Duston, CEO and Founder of Primera, which operates 12 central London Business Improvement Districts, said: “London has always been a trailblazing city, and it is fantastic to see that our calls for bold action have been heard.
“Across the BIDs, Primera operates, which span the whole of Zone 1, there is no doubt that Fridays are still noticeably quieter than the rest of the week. We are looking forward to working with our partners and stakeholders across the capital to support this trial and put on exciting activations to entice Londoners and visitors to make the most of the off-peak fares.”
City of London Corporation Policy Chairman, Chris Hayward, said: “This is a welcome move for our flagship Destination City programme, which sets out a vision for the Square Mile to become a world-leading leisure destination for UK and global visitors, workers, and residents. The capital has a first-class visitor offer, with unparalleled history, cutting-edge arts, and outstanding attractions.
“This agreement could deliver a significant boost for London's pubs, cafes, restaurants, and cultural sector. Slashing travel costs will encourage even more people to enjoy our great capital – and support our businesses – as footfall continues to reach its steady rise back to pre-pandemic levels.”
Nic Durston, Chief Executive of South Bank Employers' Group said: “It's great to see this initiative being trialled to help encourage Friday footfall into central London. This welcome initiative could provide a huge boost to the wider London economy, especially the hospitality and leisure sectors who've been impacted by reduced commuter numbers – not just during the day, but the post-work evening economy too. We hope we will see positive results from the trial.”
