Bim Afolami, the MP for Hitchin & Harpenden, has hit out against plans to ditch Day Travelcards for people travelling into London.

The Travelcards allow unlimited travel on Transport for London (TfL) services, and can be added onto tickets from outside London, enabling people to pay for an entire day of travel with one ticket.

However, TfL revealed plans in April to scrap the travelcards, with a public consultation held last month.

If the plans are passed, commuters from Hertfordshire will have to pay separately for their journey into London, and their journeys within the city.

According to TfL, the plan is a mayoral decision which requires six months' notice to be given to the transport secretary.

Mr Afolami said: “Day Travelcards allow commuters in towns like Hitchin and Harpenden to pay for their travel into and around London in one easy, cheap and convenient ticket.

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"Scrapping the Day Travelcard would have an enormous impact on people in our communities – costing them potentially an extra £180 per month to get around London in the midst of acute cost of living challenges.

“I have written to the Labour Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to urge him to re-consider his decision to cut the Day Travelcard and ensure that everyone is able to enjoy London.”

Mr Khan, however, claims that he has been forced into the decision by the government.

After details of the plans were released, he told MyLondon: “The government has said to TfL [...] because of the pandemic, you have to make cuts of £600 million and raise revenues of £500 million. The government required us to remove the travel cards.

“We’re keeping the weekly and limited travel cards, but unfortunately, because of government conditions, we’ve got rid of the daily travel cards.

"And those Conservatives crying crocodile tears need to realise the responsibility and blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the government.”