Fantasy fare

• READERS should not be swayed by Murad Qureshi’s claims (Feeling the pinch with fare rises, January 15). 

Mr Qureshi knows very well that even after this increase, average bus fares in 2010 will be around 10 per cent lower than 10 years ago and bus fares in London will continue to be cheaper than they are in other parts of the country. 

And for him to claim there will be widespread cuts to bus services is irresponsible scaremongering that will cause great concern to people who rely on our buses. 

It is fantasy finance to pretend that you can improve London’s transport infrastructure without modest rises in some fares. Let’s not forget, it was Gordon Brown, not Boris Johnson, who foisted the disastrous PPP system of Tube finance on London, which has led to a huge financial hole to be filled and, contrary to Mr Qureshi’s misleading claims, the mayor supports bus users and wants passengers to know there will be no major cuts to services across London. 

KULVEER RANGER
the Mayor of London’s Transport Adviser