London’s Tube and train fares will be cut on Fridays as the capital’s mayor tries to lure more people on to public transport.
Sadiq Khan hopes that increasing the number of workers going to offices on Fridays will raise extra money for the hospitality sector through additional spending on lunches, after-work drinks and evening entertainment.
Those using contactless and Oyster cards will be charged off-peak fares all day on Friday under the £24m trial, which runs from 8 March until the end of May.
Someone travelling on the Tube from Zone 6 in outer London into Zone 1 at peak time currently pays £5.60 but the trial will see this cut to £3.60 on Fridays.
Peak times on weekdays are between 6.30am and 9.30am, and 4pm until 7pm.
Mr Khan said: “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.”
The number of people using the Tube in the middle of the week is at 85% of pre-pandemic levels but on Fridays this drops to just 73%.
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The daily pay-as-you-go price cap on Fridays will also be amended to an off-peak rate on Fridays during the trial.
Paper single tickets and Day Travelcards will still have peak-time restrictions, however.
The pilot will see 60+ and Freedom Pass cards – which cannot be used before 9am on weekdays – being valid all day on Fridays.
It follows Mr Khan’s January announcement that TfL fares will be frozen until March next year, paid for through £123m of Greater London Authority funding.