A group of older Londoners will be aiming to have their voices heard when they go to City Hall to hand over a petition of over 10,000 signatures to Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor, Transport. The petition, organised by charity Age UK London, calls for an end to the suspension on pre-9am travel for Older Persons Freedom Pass and 60+ Oyster Card holders.
Despite two and a half years of campaigning, and over seventy thousand people signing the charity’s petitions during that time, there are now plans to make the suspension permanent. This latest campaign action aims to persuade the Mayor to keep the concession. A final decision on pre-9am use of travel concessions is expected by the end of this year.
Recent research, commissioned by Age UK London, shows that two in three of the Londoners aged sixty or over that travel before 9am on weekdays do so either to attend a health appointment (31%), for work (28%) or due to caring responsibilities (8%).
One campaign supporter Reve Adedayo Ige said, “I am seventy. I have a meagre pension and rely heavily on my Freedom Pass. I have hospital appointments in the morning, but I cannot use my card until 9am and travel before this time costs me about £8 which is huge amount of money for me. So please remove the restrictions.”
The research undertaken at the end of October shows that since the suspension was introduced in June 2020, 37 percent of people have reduced the number of journeys they take and over a quarter (27%) of people have cut costs in other ways in order to afford to travel before 9am. Shockingly 13 percent have given up working and 16 percent have been prevented from undertaking caring activities for a family member or friends.
Another supporter said: “I am 64 years old and have been affected by the suspension financially, as I am still in employment starting work at 8am. Not being able to use my 60+ Oyster and having to pay has put a big amount strain on me with my budget.”
Abigail Wood, CEO of Age UK London said “With a cost-of-living crisis and so many other cost increases, not least the expected rise in fares in the New Year, this is just the wrong decision at the worst possible time. For two years we have been calling for a lift on the suspension and now at a crucial time when older Londoners need support, the Mayor’s decision will add to their woes.”
Age UK London released a report on poverty among older Londoners last month, which showed that one in four Londoners over the age of fifty are living in poverty and this is likely to rise sharply in the current climate.
Abigail Wood concluded: “Misconceptions that older people are living comfortably are wrong, divisive and damaging. We know that many older Londoners are struggling to make ends meet and they need support right now, and not further increases in their living expenses.
“This is the Mayor’s decision, and we are asking him to put people first. He says that one of his priorities is making transport affordable and this clearly goes against that.”
A group of petitioners will visit City Hall to hand in the petition which will be received by Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor, Transport on Tuesday 15 November 2022 at 12.30pm.
