London TravelWatch claims that one in six people in the capital (1.5 million people) say they are unable to buy a train ticket as they can’t use or don’t have access to a smartphone or internet connection.
A further one in five Londoners have paid more for travel because they are not able to buy tickets online or via mobile apps, says the transport watchdog.
It says these “left behind Londoners” feel cut off from using public transport because they are “digitally excluded or disadvantaged”.
The watchdog says that these people are typically older (55+), more likely to be disabled, and have a lower income, adding: “These characteristics often overlap, creating multiple barriers for Londoners who just want to get around the capital freely.”
LTW’s research report was based on 100 telephone survey interviews and extrapolation of other data, calls for transport authorities and operators to:
“A one-size-fits-all approach by transport providers does not work for a large section of London’s population,” said LTW CEO Michael Roberts.
“We want transport operators to step up by pledging to keep prices the same across all platforms - nobody should be disadvantaged financially based on how accessible the technology is.”
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