There's and old saying, which has never been truer than today.....none so blind as those who will not see!
Instead of looking closer to home, as passengers choose Uber over buses and trains, TfL has put the blame of an unexpected fall in passenger numbers on .... Brexit.
TfL said:
We have seen lower growth in demand for our services than previously forecast for this year, largely owing to economic factors affecting the whole of the UK, including the uncertainty of Brexit.
Lower consumer confidence, GDP growth stagnating, real wage growth and a softening housing market are all affecting services and retail in London, leading to lower than forecast passenger numbers.
Current patterns in rail journeys show a year-on-year reduction in trips within Zone 1, which TfL said was reflected in its lower passenger income, and that the economic headaches had also buffeted its commercial revenue.
Operation Horizon back on the table.....
With Uber allegedly expanding its fleet of minicabs to over 40,000, plus private hire licenses dished out like sweets to all comers, TfL expect negative pressure on demand for London's public transport to continue for the first half of its five-year business plan.
The transport body's overall income for 2016/17 was £6.8bn, and for 2017/18 it is expected to drop to £6.5bn, while passenger income is expected to dip from £4.7bn for 2016/17 to £4.6bn for 2017/18.
TfL is also having to contend with the grant cut from central government. Its grant funding from the Department for Transport has been reduced by £2.8bn from 2015/16 to 2020/21.
Mayor Sadiq Khan said in the plan: "Our spending decisions become even more important in today's economic climate. While all other major transport operators in the world receive some form of central government subsidy, the government has taken £2.8bn away from TfL's operational funding."
TfL announced last month that upgrades for the Jubilee Line and Northern Line have been shelved after a surprise dip in passenger numbers on the Tube.
Out of desperation, TfL have flooded central London with an excess of buses, many remain empty most of the time, with the Tube the only part of the network still making a small profit. The transport body has been left facing an "investment prioritisation process".
The Mayor's fare freeze has had a major impact.
Critics have pointed their finger at mayor Sadiq Khan's fare freeze, with London Assembly Conservative member, Keith Prince, saying earlier this month: “In just 12 months, Sadiq Khan’s con of a ‘fares freeze’ has eluded millions of travelcard users and cost TfL hundreds of millions of pounds."
But in its business plan, TfL said early indications were that the fare freeze "has helped to dampen the effect of these negative economic factors". Putting up fares will encourage more people to Use cheaper services such as Uber.
Where fares have been increased on the National Rail network, this has led to "much sharper reductions in passenger numbers for those operators", TfL added.
TfL are hoping people will turn away from cars and Taxis. They are hoping to bring new passengers from outside London in on the Tube.
In their planned fight back, TfL have fully backed plans to disrupt surface transport with pedestrianisation of major streets in WI, unreasonably quick green light phasing, segregated cycle lane's congestion, numerous unmanned road works...etc, banking on the Elizabeth Line to bring a considerable much needed boost to their economy.
TfL also plan to ramp up income from commercial activities such as interactive advertising at bus stops as well as Tube and Coach Stations.
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