In a concerning turn of events, the residents of London aged 66 and over may soon be stripped of their free travel on the city’s tube network, despite previous promises from Labour councils to block any such review. This proposed change has sparked outrage among the elderly community, who fear it could lead to increased social isolation and severely impact their quality of life.
The controversy began when London councils announced plans to review the Freedom Pass scheme, which currently allows pensioners free travel across the capital. This sparked a petition that quickly garnered over 60,000 signatures in just nine days, prompting a commitment from Cllr Claire Holland, the leader of the Labour council group, to oppose any changes that would restrict access to the pass.
However, some are concerned that the timing of this announcement, coming in the run-up to local elections, may be politically motivated. John McGeachy, a campaign manager at Age UK, told The Update Desk: “We are conscious that this announcement was made in the run-up to local elections in London. We are concerned that the announcement is made now before the elections, but then potentially after the elections, it comes back on the agenda again.”
Philip Clayton, the 71-year-old who launched the petition, explained that the Freedom Pass is a vital lifeline for retirees like him who have no savings and rely solely on the State Pension. “Everybody in this block of flats is, by definition, without funds or money. We’re all poor, you know, we’re all working class. We don’t have company pensions, we don’t have massive savings…we all use our freedom passes.”
The proposed changes have raised concerns about the impact on the most vulnerable, including those with physical disabilities. Clayton warned that relying solely on buses instead of the tube would turn his life and the lives of thousands of others into “a living nightmare.”
Experts have also highlighted the potential health consequences of increased social isolation, with Age UK pointing out the link between reduced activity and the progression of conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Despite the outrage, Mayor Sadiq Khan has stated that he has “no control” over the 66+ pass, while Cllr Claire Holland has blamed the previous Conservative government for slashing funding for the scheme. However, she has vowed that Labour councils will oppose any changes that would restrict access to the Freedom Pass.
As the debate continues, pensioners in London anxiously await a definitive resolution to this issue, which could have far-reaching implications for their ability to remain connected and independent within their communities.
