LONDON
ASSEMBLY
LABOUR
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News release
08.06.2020
For immediate use
Local Assembly Member urges Government to fully restore free travel for elderly Londoners
Elderly Londoners must not be made to bear the brunt of the Government’s “punitive” bailout of Transport for London, local London Assembly Member, Onkar Sahota AM, has said. Dr Sahota has now written to local organisations and charities representing older people in Ealing and Hillingdon ahead of changes being made to over-60s travel set to come into force from Monday 15th June.
The recently published TfL bailout deal revealed that one of the conditions attached to it, laid down by the Government, is the temporary suspension of the older persons’ Freedom Pass and 60-plus London Oyster Card concessions at peak times.
Following lobbying by the Mayor of London, proposed changes to the disabled persons’ freedom pass are now off the table and TfL have now confirmed the suspension of free travel for the over-60s has been reduced to the morning peak only.
However, Dr Sahota is calling upon the Government to fully restore the free travel scheme. He argues that many Londoners over the age of 60, who are key workers or unable to work from home, are reliant upon public transport at peak times.
The latest available stats from Trust for London also show that almost a quarter of pensioners in London are living in poverty.
Dr Sahota is also opposing the Government’s removal of free travel for under-18s in London, as schools begin to reopen.
TfL released the full terms of the deal last week in their Board Meeting papers. This came after the Government failed to publish the document despite pledging to do so in Parliament at the earliest opportunity in mid-May.
The Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown measures have had a significant impact on TfL’s finances over the last few months, with fares income falling by 90%, according to the Mayor of London.
Local London Assembly Member, Onkar Sahota AM, said:
“It is inexcusable that the Government are using their bailout of TfL, made necessary by the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak, to take away the lifeline of free travel for older Londoners.
“It is of course very important that only those that absolutely need to travel should do so at the moment. However, we shouldn’t forget that many over the age of sixty, who are key workers or unable to work from home, will still need to use public transport at peak times.
“Sadly, there are hundreds of thousands of pensioners living in poverty in our capital and this ill-thought out decision by the Government will needlessly add to their financial burden. I am also concerned that it threatens the long term viability of the 60-plus card.
“I have written to local organisations representing older people to outline the implications of these changes and provide my reassurances that I will continue to campaign against them”.