"Labour council leaders in London have blocked a proposed review of the Freedom Pass that could have restricted the free travel benefits currently enjoyed by 1.2m older Londoners. In a statement issued on Wednesday evening that was backed by London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, the Labour council leaders effectively detonated a bomb under the plans to limit access to, or the benefits provided by, the Freedom Pass."
"The previous Conservative government slashed funding for the Freedom Pass scheme, leaving councils to foot the bill. It's clear that we need to ensure the Freedom Pass is funded sustainably, but this cannot be done at the expense of older Londoners. We know the Freedom Pass is a vital lifeline for our older residents and we must defend it. Labour councils will oppose any changes that would see restrictions placed on who can use it and which modes of transport it applies to."
"The Freedom Pass is crucial for older Londoners, enabling them to travel around the city and stay connected to friends and family. While I have no control over the 66+ pass, Labour councils have my full support in committing to keep it. As Mayor, I am ensuring hundreds of thousands of older Londoners are also able to enjoy free travel by continuing to provide the 60+ Oyster card alongside other concessions for Londoners."
Labour council leaders in London blocked a proposed review of the Freedom Pass that threatened to limit free travel for 1.2 million older Londoners. The statement that halted the review had backing from London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan and explicitly rejected moves to restrict eligibility or the modes of transport covered. Councillors had asked for officials to assess the impact of changing qualification rules and to consider limiting the pass to buses only. Labour leaders cited historic funding cuts from the Conservative government and insisted that sustainable funding cannot come at the expense of older residents' mobility.
Read at www.standard.co.uk
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