| Re: Elderly may lose free travel over Sadiq Khan’s fare rises Posted by ChrisB at 19:25, 17th January 2026 |     |
From The Standard, via MSN
Freedom Pass saved! Councils block threat to over-65s' free travel
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.
The sensational development comes a week after The Standard revealed that a review of the scheme had been requested by councillors concerned at its soaring cost - set to reach £372m in the year from April.
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.
Cllr Claire Holland, leader of London Councils’ Labour Group, said: “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.”
Sir Sadiq said: “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.
“The previous Tory government wanted to get rid of the 60+ Oyster card. It’s clear that only Labour can be trusted to protect concessionary travel for Londoners.”
The Standard first revealed the threat to the Freedom Pass last week.
Councillors on London Councils’ transport committee asked for officials to establish the impact on Londoners of changing the rules on who qualifies for a Freedom Pass - currently all London residents aged 66 or older and disabled Londoners.
There was also a plan to consider whether the Freedom Pass could be limited to providing only free bus travel, rather than also Tube and train travel (other than during the morning peak) across Greater London.
On Tuesday The Standard revealed that more than 50,000 people had signed a petition opposing the review.
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.
The sensational development comes a week after The Standard revealed that a review of the scheme had been requested by councillors concerned at its soaring cost - set to reach £372m in the year from April.
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.
Cllr Claire Holland, leader of London Councils’ Labour Group, said: “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.”
Sir Sadiq said: “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.
“The previous Tory government wanted to get rid of the 60+ Oyster card. It’s clear that only Labour can be trusted to protect concessionary travel for Londoners.”
The Standard first revealed the threat to the Freedom Pass last week.
Councillors on London Councils’ transport committee asked for officials to establish the impact on Londoners of changing the rules on who qualifies for a Freedom Pass - currently all London residents aged 66 or older and disabled Londoners.
There was also a plan to consider whether the Freedom Pass could be limited to providing only free bus travel, rather than also Tube and train travel (other than during the morning peak) across Greater London.
On Tuesday The Standard revealed that more than 50,000 people had signed a petition opposing the review.
| Elderly may lose free travel over Sadiq Khan’s fare rises Posted by ChrisB at 18:32, 6th January 2026 | |
From the Telegraph, via MSN
Thousands of pensioners could lose free travel in London after Sir Sadiq Khan put up bus and Tube fares.
Last month, the London Mayor announced that fares would rise by 7.1 per cent across the capital – twice the rate of inflation.
On Monday, the capital’s boroughs warned that this could force them to restrict funding for free travel for those aged 66 and over.
The group London Councils, which represents the 33 boroughs, said possibilities included increasing the qualifying age or means-testing it. They could also restrict the free fares to buses and the London Underground, excluding rail fares.
Londoners aged 66 and over are given a Freedom Pass that provides free transport on all Transport for London services and national rail services within Greater London.
It is funded by the London boroughs, but its annual cost is expected to rise by 11.8 per cent to £372m next year. The increase is down to the impact of Sir Sadiq’s fares rise and the growing number of Londoners entitled to a Freedom Pass.
Some 1.2 million pensioners in London have a pass and the cost of each journey taken is borne by the borough in which it starts. London Councils expects to foot the bill for more than 279 million free journeys from April.
tephen Boon, the chief operating officer, told the London Standard that the Freedom Pass was a “more generous” travel benefit than that enjoyed by pensioners in the rest of the country.
“It’s more than a bus pass, which is what it is in the rest of the country,” he said. “It’s costing more than boroughs can afford.”
He added that officials would conduct a comprehensive review of the Freedom Pass to help councillors to “understand what the options are and what the consequences could be”.
Ian Manders, a Liberal Democrat councillor in Kingston, south-west London, said the pass was an “expensive burden”. He said the borough had increased car parking charges but “it still doesn’t match how much we are spending on concessionary fares”.
Last month, the London Mayor announced that fares would rise by 7.1 per cent across the capital – twice the rate of inflation.
On Monday, the capital’s boroughs warned that this could force them to restrict funding for free travel for those aged 66 and over.
The group London Councils, which represents the 33 boroughs, said possibilities included increasing the qualifying age or means-testing it. They could also restrict the free fares to buses and the London Underground, excluding rail fares.
Londoners aged 66 and over are given a Freedom Pass that provides free transport on all Transport for London services and national rail services within Greater London.
It is funded by the London boroughs, but its annual cost is expected to rise by 11.8 per cent to £372m next year. The increase is down to the impact of Sir Sadiq’s fares rise and the growing number of Londoners entitled to a Freedom Pass.
Some 1.2 million pensioners in London have a pass and the cost of each journey taken is borne by the borough in which it starts. London Councils expects to foot the bill for more than 279 million free journeys from April.
tephen Boon, the chief operating officer, told the London Standard that the Freedom Pass was a “more generous” travel benefit than that enjoyed by pensioners in the rest of the country.
“It’s more than a bus pass, which is what it is in the rest of the country,” he said. “It’s costing more than boroughs can afford.”
He added that officials would conduct a comprehensive review of the Freedom Pass to help councillors to “understand what the options are and what the consequences could be”.
Ian Manders, a Liberal Democrat councillor in Kingston, south-west London, said the pass was an “expensive burden”. He said the borough had increased car parking charges but “it still doesn’t match how much we are spending on concessionary fares”.
