Commuters from Watford are being charged some of the highest daily fares to reach Central London, with Transport for London (TfL) confirming it has no intention of changing the system. Campaigners argue the current zoning is unfairly penalising residents, who pay significantly more than those travelling comparable distances from other parts of the network.
The £22 Daily Commute: A Costly Disparity
The core of the issue lies in the fare zones assigned to Watford's three stations. Watford Junction operates in a special fare zone, while Watford and Watford High Street are in zones seven and eight respectively. This contrasts sharply with Epping on the Central line, which is in Zone 6 despite being roughly the same distance from central London—approximately 16.5 miles.
This zoning discrepancy has a dramatic impact on daily travel costs. A passenger commuting from Epping to Liverpool Street pays around £11.60 per day. However, a commuter travelling from Watford Junction to London Euston is hit with a daily return fare of £22.20—nearly double the amount for a journey of similar length.
Local Leaders Condemn "Outdated" Fare System
Watford Mayor, Councillor Peter Taylor, has been vocal in his criticism, labelling the fare structure as outdated and expensive. "This simply isn’t fair," Taylor stated. "It makes no sense for our commuters to be forced to pay so much more than people travelling similar distances elsewhere on the train network."
The Mayor is leading calls for TfL to urgently rezone all three Watford stations to Zone 6, a move he says would be a fairer and simpler solution that puts money back into local pockets. He also highlighted that the financial burden will worsen when TfL implements a 5.8% fare increase across the network in March 2026.
TfL's Firm Stance and Passenger Options
In response to a petition by the Watford Liberal Democrats and the Mayor's comments, a TfL spokesperson delivered a clear message: TfL has no plans to make changes to the zoning of any stations in its network. The spokesperson emphasised the Mayor's commitment to affordable fares while ensuring TfL can run services effectively.
The statement pointed to existing cost-saving measures for passengers, including:
- Pay as you go with Oyster and contactless payment.
- The Hopper fare for bus journeys.
- Daily and weekly fare capping.
- A range of travel concessions.
Despite these options, the fundamental grievance for Watford commuters remains the stark and what they see as unjustifiable fare difference for a standard daily commute into the capital.
