TfL Confirms Bridge Closure Will Not Result In Two Fares

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Passengers will not be charged again having crossed bridge to reboard bus

In advance of repair works which will close Putney Bridge, Transport for London (TfL) has set out plans to ensure that bus passengers don’t lose out or pay twice when their journeys are affected by the bridge closure.

The bridge will close to all vehicle traffic, including buses, from Monday, July 14 for approximately three months. This is to allow for £1.5m worth of repairs to be completed to protect its internal structure from damage caused by water penetration.

For the duration of the works buses will be operating a shuttle service from both ends. This means that passengers will have to cross the bridge on foot and get on another bus to continue their journeys.

However Transport for London has confirmed it is putting arrangements in place to ensure that people only pay one fare for the two legs of their journey.

Passengers who either use a travelcard or a concessionary card like a Freedom Pass will be able to walk across the bridge and catch a bus as normal.

Anyone using Oyster pay-as-you-go or a contactless payment card will be able to obtain a ‘transfer voucher’ from the bus driver or a special ‘transfer card’ from dedicated members of staff. Passengers with these will not have to pay again when they embark on the second leg of their journeys.

Transfer cards and vouchers can be used in conjunction with an Oyster PAYG or Contactless payment card which has been validated within 60 minutes on a previous bus journey on routes 14, 22, 39, 74, 85, 93, 220, 265, 270, 424, 430, N22 and N74. Passengers who obtain a transfer card can use it throughout the closure and will not need to obtain a voucher from the driver on each occasion.

During the works, the frequency of the Route 72 between Roehampton and Hammersmith will be doubled from around seven to 15 buses an hour Monday to Saturday daytime and from five buses to ten every hour on Sunday daytime to provide extra services to this part of the borough.

Additional TfL staff will be available on both sides of the bridge to help direct passengers, issue “transfer cards” and answer any questions about local bus services.

Mike Weston, Director of London Buses, said: “During Wandsworth’s forthcoming works, we will be working hard to ensure that any bus passengers affected by the works can continue their journey in the quickest and easiest way possible. By providing these transfer tickets to users of Oyster and contactless pay as you go, all passengers will only have to pay once to complete their journey.”

June 26, 2014