Well there are always choices aren't there? Putting to one side actual or perceived injustices about bus fares elsewhere in the UK you need to consider whether the London bus network has a value or not. Listening to some politicians you'd think it didn't exist never mind have any value. There is certainly little positive recognition that it's the busiest public transport mode, based on daily journeys made, in London. Most people would say it was the Tube but even on its busiest day the bus network carries 50% more journeys.
Where we have got to after 8 years of Boris is pretty much an end to the growth in patronage, barely any network development, revenue below budget and target and people deserting buses because of chronic traffic congestion (some caused by TfL's own schemes). Oh and bus fares up 66% over those 8 years. Londoners may well be "spoilt" compared to what other bus users have to tolerate but there is little appetite for higher fares (see the report I linked to in a reply to Mr Adamfi) and the system can't cope with population growth in some parts of London. We were just about to start seeing some extra funding coming on line to grow services and provide new links and add capacity. The Chancellor's cuts put all that at very serious risk.
My view is that the bus network is at a tipping point. You could make it commercial overnight but the consequences would be appalling. Frequencies would be slashed, fares would soar, routes would go leaving people without transport in some areas, traffic congestion would soar and the tube and rail networks would not cope with the diverted traffic. TfL wouldn't have a funding problem with buses but it (and the Boroughs) would have one heck of a problem on the roads and rails. Such a fundamental change would almost certainly be politically calamitous for whoever was in charge and it would hit Central Government too because London would cease to work properly and that has consequences for the economy and how the UK is perceived by potential investors.
Now you could probably keep pushing fares up on the buses but let's be clear that it wouldn't go to fund Christmas Day bus services. It would simply go to cover the loss of revenue grant or to somehow improve the network. If people were given the option of making their services better on 364 days of the year or adding buses on 1 day a year then I think they'd go for the first option. Unless whoever the next Mayor is makes it a manifesto commitment to have Christmas Day buses then they're simply not going to happen.
I expect bus fares will keep going up regardless of who becomes Mayor. Labour's fares freeze proposals will be completely discredited by the time we get to the election. The Tories quite clearly have it in their line of fire already and it will remain there until it has been completely trashed in the minds of the voters. They did it with Ken back in 2012 when he had very similar proposals to Mr Khan and people didn't believe it then. Given the failure of Labour to win nationally because of a lack of economic credibility then continuing with unfinanceable commitments in London is a serious error (IMO of course). Why give your opponents such easy things to attack?
