The London Transport Executive was the executive agency within the Greater London Council, responsible for public transport in Greater London from 1970 to 1984. In common with all London transport authorities from 1933 to 2000, the public name and operational brand of the organisation was London Transport.

Background and formation

The Greater London Council came into its powers in 1965, but did not have authority over public transport. Responsibility for such provision had been removed from the

London County Council London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today kn ...

and neighbouring authorities in 1933 and passed to the London Passenger Transport Board. The Transport (London) Act 1969 gave the GLC powers over the

London Underground The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England. The ...

and London Buses, but not over British Rail services in Greater London.

Fares policy

The GLC aimed to increase usage of public transport, especially in Outer London, where car use was high. Fare setting policy was used to increase patronage on the London Underground and London Buses, particularly during less busy times. Shortages of staff meant it was also necessary to speed up the rate of boarding on buses that ran without conductors, by introducing pre-purchased and inter-modal tickets. On 4 October 1981, following the Greater London Council election, the incoming Labour administration simplified fares in Greater London by introducing four new bus fare zones and two central London Underground zones, named ''City'' and ''West End'', where flat fares applied for the first time. This was accompanied by a cut in prices of about a third and was marketed as the ''

Fares Fair Fares Fair was a public policy advocated by the Labour Party administration of the Greater London Council (GLC), then led by Ken Livingstone. The policy of low public transport fares was implemented in 1981, but was later ruled to be illegal ...

'' campaign. Following successful legal action against it, on 21 March 1982 London Buses fares were doubled and London Underground fares increased by 91%. The two central area zones were retained and the fares to all other stations were restructured to be graduated at three mile intervals; and thus grouping those stations within three miles of the central zones in an 'inner zone'. In 1983, after further legal action, a third revision of fares was undertaken, and a new inter-modal Travelcard season ticket was launched covering five new numbered zones; representing an overall cut in prices of around 25%. The off-peak ''One Day Travelcard'' was launched in 1984 and on weekdays was sold for travel after 09.30.

Chairmen

* Sir

Richard Way Sir Richard George Kitchener Way KCB CBE (15 September 1914 – 2 October 1998), commonly known as Sam Way, was a British civil servant, Chairman of London Transport and Principal of King's College London. Way left school at 18 and joined t ...

, 1970–1975 * Sir Kenneth Robinson, 1975–1978 * Ralph Bennett, 1978–1980 * Sir

Peter Masefield Sir Peter Masefield (19 March 1914 - 14 February 2006) was a leading figure in Britain's post war aviation industry, as Chief Executive of British European Airways in the 1950s, and chairman of the British Airports Authority in the 1960s. Histor ...

, 1980–1982 * Sir Keith Bright, 1982–1984

Abolition and legacy

The GLC was abolished in 1986, however transport powers had been removed two years earlier and transferred to

London Regional Transport London Regional Transport (LRT) was the organisation responsible for most of the public transport network in London, England, between 1984 and 2000. In common with all London transport authorities from 1933 to 2000, the public name and operatio ...

. Responsibility for public transport returned to local government in London in 2000, with the creation of the Greater London Authority and the Transport for London executive agency. The inter-modal zonal fare system devised during this period continues to be used throughout Greater London and is broadly unchanged.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:London Transport Executive (Glc) Defunct transport authorities in London 1970 establishments in England 1984 disestablishments in England Organizations established in 1970 Organizations disestablished in 1984 1970s in London 1980s in London