Request ID: FOI-1192-2425 Date published: 01 August 2024
You asked
I would like to make an information request under prevailing Environmental Information Regulations and the Freedom of Information Act.
The Mayor’s Transport Strategy has a section
Funding and powers
A new approach to funding and delivering the transport network is therefore required. This must include addressing the fundamentally inadequate and unfair way in which road use is paid for in London, with motorists paying too little, and in effect being subsidised by public transport fare payers. Measures such as road user charging (where appropriate), land value capture and the devolution of financial powers to local level are essential to delivering an efficient and fair funding system.
Ref - https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/mayors-transport-strategy-2018.pdf
It is some years ago that this was published. As a public transport user, I would be interested in your most up to date base of evidence illustrating to what degree motorists are paying too little and being subsidised by public transport fare payers.
Ditto any policy papers, even drafts, explaining what an efficient and fair funding system might be and how it might be delivered.
Please send me all calculations, reports, links etc that explain this. Common formats like PDF, RTF, Word and Excel files would be OK
We answered
Our ref: FOI-1192-2425/GH Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 12 July 2024 asking for information about transport network funding. Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. Unfortunately we do not hold the information you require - we do not hold any relevant material on public transport fare payers subsidising motorists. The information you refer to is a statement of the principle that trips by car are generally not priced to pay for their externalities. As London does not receive Vehicle Excise Duty, TfL investment in roads is not funded in the same way as it is in the rest of the UK. Instead our road investment comes from TfL general funds, which are heavily reliant on public transport fares income. If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal. Yours sincerely Graham Hurt FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
