Carry on the Freedom Pass!

As a new campaign reminds more than a million Londoners to renew their Freedom Passes, Ian Mitchell takes a look at the latest developments in one of London boroughs’ most valued initiatives 

The Freedom Pass is a real London success story.

The pass, which entitles older and disabled Londoners to free travel on the capital’s buses, trains, tubes and trams is one of the most comprehensive concessionary fares schemes of its kind and is held in high regard, not least by the million or so Londoners who currently hold a Freedom Pass themselves.

Given all that, it is perhaps not surprising that London Mayor Ken Livingstone made proposals to extend the hours of the current scheme his first manifesto pledge in his campaign for re-election.

Of course, what Mr Livingstone failed to trumpet in his bid to associate himself with the success of the Freedom Pass, is that it is not a Mayoral scheme at all.

Since its inception in 1984 the Freedom Pass has always been paid for by London’s boroughs.

The costs of the scheme are negotiated annually by London Councils on behalf of the boroughs with both Transport for London and the Association of Train Operating Companies. The recently agreed budget for April 2008 to March 2009 is £270 million.

Over the past 24 years the total amount spent by London boroughs on providing free travel for older and disabled Londoners through the Freedom Pass is around £3 billion.

The benefits of the Freedom Pass have beene xtended this year to provide disabled Freedom pass holders with free travel on the London Overground Network (formerly the North London Railways and the East London Line) at any time.

Pass holders aged 60 or over can travel free of charge on the network half an hour earlier than they used to, from 9am on weekdays instead of 9.30am.

And following the introduction of the new English national bus concessionary fares scheme from 1 April 2008, almost all o fLondon’s Freedom Pass holders will, in addition to their current benefits, also be entitled to free local bus travel anywhere in England (some disabled passes issued at the discretion of London boroughs will not be valid outside the capital).

In order to ensure nobody misses out on the continued benefits of having a Freedom Pass a London-wide advertising campaign to remind all users of the need to renew their passes, which are due to expire on 31 March 2008, has recently been launched by London Councils.

Posters at London underground stations, bus stops and other key locations throughout every borough remind current pass holders of the need to renew their passes either at the post office or their local council.

The Freedom Pass is a tangible example of what can be achieved by boroughs working together to improve the lives of their local communities and London Councils will continue to seek the best possible deal for Londoners in providing it.

For more information visit www.freedompass.org Opens in a new window