London day travelcards to be phased out in near future

Day travelcards are set to be phased out in the near future, the deputy mayor of London Transport has confirmed.

The paper tickets offer unlimited travel on all London Transport services, including Tube, DLR, buses, trams and the London Overground.

They will soon no longer be sold or accepted on Transport for London (TfL) services.

Last year, 12m day travelcards were sold, double the number in 2020, but down from 27m in 2018, BBC News reports.

Weekly and annual travelcards will still be issued but last year just 20,000 of the latter were sold, down from 185,000 in 2018.

The number of travelcards sold annually has decreased significantly from before the Covid pandemic (Image: PA)

What will people travelling to London have to do instead?

Paper day travelcards are often used by people travelling into London for a day trip or by London residents for use on the Tube and other services.

Once they are phased out these passengers will be expected to use contactless or Oyster cards at barriers to these services.

What reasons have been give for the end of day travelcards?

The Deputy Mayor of London for Transport Seb Dance has said the “TfL can no longer afford” to fund the £40m Travelcard Agreement.

In a letter sent to Transport Secretary Huw Merriman on Friday, Mr Dance said “the current price paid to TfL for these tickets is well below the price paid for the same tickets sold within London“.

A consultation document has set out the changes, which would see the end of paper travelcards altogether.

“We anticipate that, if TfL ceases to accept day travelcards, rail operators will also stop selling Zone 1-6 travelcards,” it states.

A spokesperson for the mayor of London said: “The mayor is only considering the withdrawal of day travelcards in order to meet the requirements of TfL’s funding settlement with government – a deal that was required solely because of the impact of the pandemic.

“He has been clear he does not want to do so but feels that he has been left with no viable alternative.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We have provided TfL with more than £6bn in funding support to keep public transport moving.

“Transport in London is devolved, and any decision to withdraw from the travelcard agreement is a matter for the mayor.”