Commuters hope for cheaper tickets from fare zone review

THOUSANDS of commuters may get cheaper tickets from a new review of the capital's fare zones.

Mayor Boris Johnson has agreed to study some rail, bus and Tube zone boundaries after complaints that passengers are being charged unfairly.

Complaints soared after the Government decided last year to introduce zonal pricing for rail journeys, increasing the price of some tickets by 35 per cent.

From next year, season tickets will be priced according to zones instead of the distance of a station from central London. Campaigners fear this will spark similar price jumps - equivalent to a £630 rise for a £1,800 annual pass.

HOW PRICES WOULD FALL BY MOVING ZONES Click image for bigger picture and details

News of the review came after a meeting between the Mayor and Kingston and Surbiton MP Ed Davey, who has campaigned for his local stations to be moved from Zone 6 to 5.

Surbiton, used by five million passengers a year, is in Zone 6 despite being only 12 miles from Waterloo. At least 28 stations in the cheaper Zone 5 are further from the centre.

A breakthrough for Surbiton and Kingston could open the door for a wider review affecting millions.

Mr Davey said: "There's a real chance we could get these two stations re-zoned and save some commuters hundreds of pounds a year."

Mr Davey warned change would need the agreement of South West Trains and is unlikely to come in before 2010.

Passenger group London Travelwatch says Epsom, Hinchley Wood, Claygate, Esher, Ashford, Potters Bar, Cuffley, Theobalds Grove, Cheshunt and Waltham Cross stations, all outside Zone 6 , should be moved inwards. There are also concerns about Edgware, Redbridge, Maze Hill and several south London stations.

Pricing by zone rather than distance would leave about 50,000 people worse off. But a similar number could end up better off. A spokesman for Mr Johnson said: "The Mayor does not have direct control over Kingston and Surbiton but he has promised to do his utmost to persuade the train operating company to make this change."

Valerie Shawcross, chairwoman of the London Assembly transport committee, said: "It may be time for a strategic revision of all London zoning." The current zones were drawn up in 1983.