Press Release

Free transport under attack again - Ealing Councillor calls pensioners' pass 'quite mad'
6-2-2007   068

The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone today restated his commitment to defend free bus and tube travel for older and disabled Londoners, after the Freedom Pass came under attack from a senior Ealing councillor and London Assembly member.

Cllr Phil Taylor, prominent Ealing Councillor and deputy chair of Ealing's powerful Finance and Performance Committee, argued on his website that the Freedom Pass should be “re-targeted” away from most pensioners to the “very old”. Cllr Taylor went on to question the benefits of encouraging more Londoners to use public transport, calling it “quite mad.” He adds: “There are few people who are in work or on good pensions who would strongly argue that they should be the recipients of this largesse.” 43,000 Ealing residents are beneficiaries of the Freedom Pass.

Deputy Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee, Roger Evans joined Cllr Taylor on his website, saying, ‘The problem with this scheme (Freedom Pass) is the large number of people who claim their pass but don’t use it.’ The full comments from Cllr Taylor can be found here: http://philtaylor.org.uk/?p=486

Ken Livingstone said,

“This attack on the Freedom Pass is the latest of a series of threats to free travel schemes in London. Last month we saw a series of attempts to abolish my ability to guarantee the Freedom Pass. Amendments to my budget on the London Assembly sought last week to abolish the free bus and tram travel scheme for youngsters.

‘The arguments used by those who are threatening the Freedom Pass are increasingly desperate and extreme.

‘Cllr Taylor says the cost of the Freedom Pass should be “re-targeted” and claims the existing users of the pass are “recipients of largesse”. I disagree with his claim that that free bus travel for older Londoners and disabled people is “quite mad” from any point of view at all. The Freedom Pass is one of the most successful schemes London government ever introduced and it should be defended from the escalating attacks that we are now seeing. Free travel is vital to cutting carbon emissions and tackling climate change in the capital.

‘Cllr Taylor’s call for the Freedom Pass to be “retargeted at the very old” is code for huge cuts which would hit hundreds of thousands of London older Londoners and disabled people, many of whom rely on the Freedom Pass to get to the shops and see family and friends.

‘For many older Londoners the Freedom Pass is the difference between living a dignified independent life and one of poverty and exclusion. That’s why I am so determined to protect the Freedom Pass for the older and disabled Londoners who benefit, including the 43,000 Ealing residents who claim it."

Notes to Editors

1. 1,049,975 older and disabled Londoners benefit from the Freedom Pass.

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