Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Petition For Older People's Freedom Pass For Free Travel
The following received from the Haringey Federation of Residents Association
The three-year funding deal for the Freedom Pass agreed between Government and London's Councils in 2008 has been re-opened by the Department for Transport which is seeking ways to cut costs. As a result, London is set to lose £29m (half its agreed funding for 2010-11).
Leaders of London 's Boroughs are opposed to this re-opening of the previously agreed three-year funding deal, and have said that, although they will endeavour to protect the Freedom Pass , the money will have to be found SOMEWHERE. THERE IS CONCERN THE AXE MAY FALL ON THE FREEDOM PASS, OR AT LEAST SOME ASPECTS OF IT.
A Petition has been organised to demand that the Prime Minister intervene to protect the Freedom Pass's funding, and every London resident who might be affected is urged to sign it. It has been submitted by Barry Macleod-Cullinane of London Councils, and the wording on 10 Downing Street website reads -
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to intervene to secure the Freedom Pass by protecting the previously agreed level of concessionary travel funding for London , for 2010-11, from the proposals currently being consulted on by the DfT that would cut £29m of agreed funding for the boroughs, following the DfT's re-opening of a 30year funding deal in its third year.
The deadline for signing this Petition is January 29, 2010 and, currently just over 1000 signatures have been attached, but this is unlikely to be enough so if you feel inclined, do click here to sign up.
The three-year funding deal for the Freedom Pass agreed between Government and London's Councils in 2008 has been re-opened by the Department for Transport which is seeking ways to cut costs. As a result, London is set to lose £29m (half its agreed funding for 2010-11).
Leaders of London 's Boroughs are opposed to this re-opening of the previously agreed three-year funding deal, and have said that, although they will endeavour to protect the Freedom Pass , the money will have to be found SOMEWHERE. THERE IS CONCERN THE AXE MAY FALL ON THE FREEDOM PASS, OR AT LEAST SOME ASPECTS OF IT.
A Petition has been organised to demand that the Prime Minister intervene to protect the Freedom Pass's funding, and every London resident who might be affected is urged to sign it. It has been submitted by Barry Macleod-Cullinane of London Councils, and the wording on 10 Downing Street website reads -
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to intervene to secure the Freedom Pass by protecting the previously agreed level of concessionary travel funding for London , for 2010-11, from the proposals currently being consulted on by the DfT that would cut £29m of agreed funding for the boroughs, following the DfT's re-opening of a 30year funding deal in its third year.
The deadline for signing this Petition is January 29, 2010 and, currently just over 1000 signatures have been attached, but this is unlikely to be enough so if you feel inclined, do click here to sign up.
Tags for Forum Posts: older people
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on
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Signed up - at 1 minute to midnight!
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Permalink Reply by PeterPiper on
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Just added my name as well
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Permalink Reply by ElleCarumba on
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Might not be a popular view but what the heck- why does the Freedom pass start at 60? Most people between 60 and 65 are still working and the proportion of working people over 60s is presumably only going to rise due to poor return on pension investments and longer lives.
My dad is 61, still working full time as an structural engineer, earns about four times what I do, and zips around on the tube at everyone else's expense to his handsomely remunerated building site visits. I can't see why he should have free travel (and he agrees although not enough not to take use it). Likewise, my mother is the same age and now commutes to her teaching job for free - lucky her but she is earning the same as she was 59 - she isn't really in need of a helping hand just because she is now over 60.
Given that the state pension age is due to rise over time anyway so people are going to keep earning for longer, isn't it time for freedom passes to be restricted to the over 65s or 70s?
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I take it they've already expunged your name from their wills. Quite right too.
Meanwhile, sign up all the rest of you old dodderers. Just a week left, so don't hang about.
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Permalink Reply by rahman on
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The elderly in this country live in poverty and are not looked after as it is. And now we want to take away their freedom passes. Why? To reduce their ability look after themselves when they are mobile enough to?
I don't see why anyone would want to deny an elderly person a freedom pass.
What next, taking away the cold weather payments too!
Show me that petition....
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What, no more old dears on HOL? Or did you all shuffle off your Freedom Pass during the cold snap? Or are you just so loaded you're shy about signing up for it? 5 days left.
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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Less of the old dears OAE!
Some of us who've signed are way off getting our passes...in fact by the time its my turn we'll all have our own personal hover boots by then...but until such time, you oldies have my support
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60 is not elderly!
And the vast majority of the elderly in this country do not live in poverty. And don't say "they fought in the war." Unless you are 80+, you are unlikely to have been in a war. In fact, if you are a post-48 baby, you belong to pretty much the luckiest generation in recent history.
I am not suggesting getting rid of the Freedom Pass completely - I am asking why the pass should start at 60, when most people are still working. 60 is not elderly. Why not 65 or 70? Some 60 year olds might be really struggling financially and the pass will be a godsend- but they were likely to have been struggling at 59 when they got no help. I'd rather the money get used to support transport costs for people in poverty of all ages, rather than dispense to all at an arbitrary age.
At some point, the starting age for the pass will have to rise just as the state pension age is rising. Why not now?
And no, my parents haven't disinherited me. They agree- although they do have use their free passes. They did donate their winter fuel allowance to charity though.
PS on the same basis, I don't agree with free travel for all under 18s either. If your dad is, for example Boris Johnson and earns 250k a year, then he can pay for your travel.
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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At some point making a benefit means tested is just not worth it. You spend more money testing than you save.
BTW, rich kids get black cabs.
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