Greater London, over 66's free transport under threat?

LemonJam

JuBut Wed 07-Jan-26 13:59:30. "I pay for travel and get annoyed when I pay bus fare and illegal immigrants get on for free!!! I've worked 46 years in the NHS contributing to everything, and no further forward".

FYI- Those who are eligible for a free bus pass;
people who have reached state pension age, people with a specific disability (e.g sight or hearing impairment or learning disability as defined by the government), people receiving PIP.

There are also bodies also that can issue a travel pass in certain circumstances- e.g. the police when a vulnerable person who has been at the police station for whatever reason, so they can get home, or a prisoner being released from prison.

JuBut- You are making some big assumptions about how you discriminate whether any of the passengers on your bus are immigrants, "illegal" or otherwise.

Plus what do you actually mean when you say passengers get on a bus "for free"? Unless they are a small child all passengers must either pay or have their bus pass verified. No busses in my area take cash- so ALL passengers click their phone, credit card or bus pass on the same electronic pad.

I don't stand by the driver examining every single passenger to see whether they are clicking credit card or alternatively a bus pass- why would you?

Not entirely true....there's a good few local authorities ( my own included) that provide free transport at 60 ....we get free local travel on buses , trains and ferries

DH and I don't live in London but do use our bus passes when we visit. Much nicer than using the Tube and we're not usually in too much hurry. We always go to the top of the double deckers.

RosiesMawagain

^effecting rail and trams mainly^.
its a nice perk to have,not sure if it has restricted hours though

I didn’t know there were trams in London.

Croydon has trams.

I'd like to see free rail, buses, trams - all across the country.

As far as I know, the only "younger people" that get free public transport are people under the age of 19, who generally, nowadays are at college/school and still dependent on their parents. What a strange attitude. No doubt, these young people will also go on to work for 40 more years or more as well which will even things out as they will be subsiding the next generations to come.

My partner and I had a great time travelling around London for a few years for free but we now live in the country and have to run a car as there is little public transport. I really miss those days but I don't regret moving to a rural area.

My sentiments concur with those expressed by @SusieB50. West End theatres desperately need the income we provide, as do galleries,etc. I would have to give up my Saturday college class if I had to pay for the travel as the cost would be prohibitive.
However , I would also suggest that people still in full time work should maybe not get the full free tube travel because although they may be of pensionable age they’re not, to my mind, actually pensioners. A moot point, I admit.

If public transport is not used by all generations then it will fail. the younger generation may need some persuasion to use buses and trains by being subsidised-but that can only be for the good of all people and all ages.
I have no problem with people using buses for free as long as they don't occupy 2 seats when they have a ticket for one seat, not talking loudly on their phones, and not eating smelly food. I live in an area where some of the residents feel they are "entitled" and get upset when you ask them to make room . Generally not the younger generation

I would like to have a decent bus service. Two hourly service Mon - Frid to small shopping centre but 4 hourly for a return trip. Nothing at weekend. No transport to Drs, train station. I have a free bus pass somewhere in the house but never use it as not prepared to carry shopping half a mile from supermarket to bus station and then pass the time of day there awaiting the return four hourly service.

Calls to scrap over-60s free bus pass as it costs taxpayers more than
There are calls to scrap the over-60s free bus pass as it is considered to be financially unsustainable and not targeted to those genuinely in need of support. The 60+ Oyster card is expected to cost up to £185million by 2027, while the Freedom Pass is set to hit £498m by the end of the decade. These costs are being met through increased taxes and higher ticket prices, which are seen as a burden on the taxpayer. The petition to extend free bus travel for people over 60 in England had garnered over 100,000 signatures, indicating public concern over the current system.

Free Bus Travel is nationwide in England ,with Scotland and Wales having there own bus passes .
Maybe Greater London might have additional perks such as rail travel and tram travel as part of there current deal , these additional means of travel might be scrapped to bus use only.
Places like the West Midlands have similar schemes for those living the respective postcodes which fall within the Greater London perimeter .
Mick

JuBut Wed 07-Jan-26 13:59:30. "I pay for travel and get annoyed when I pay bus fare and illegal immigrants get on for free!!! I've worked 46 years in the NHS contributing to everything, and no further forward".

FYI- Those who are eligible for a free bus pass;
people who have reached state pension age, people with a specific disability (e.g sight or hearing impairment or learning disability as defined by the government), people receiving PIP.

There are also bodies also that can issue a travel pass in certain circumstances- e.g. the police when a vulnerable person who has been at the police station for whatever reason, so they can get home, or a prisoner being released from prison.

JuBut- You are making some big assumptions about how you discriminate whether any of the passengers on your bus are immigrants, "illegal" or otherwise.

Plus what do you actually mean when you say passengers get on a bus "for free"? Unless they are a small child all passengers must either pay or have their bus pass verified. No busses in my area take cash- so ALL passengers click their phone, credit card or bus pass on the same electronic pad.

I don't stand by the driver examining every single passenger to see whether they are clicking credit card or alternatively a bus pass- why would you?

I currently volunteer for a charity that is staffed ( for free) by hundreds of pensioners - all using our Freedom passes.
We probably won't continue work for free if we have to pay transport costs .
I also hardly use my car anymore - but I will if I lose my Freedom pass.
I can't see how it costs anything to give free travel to pensioners really, as the trains and tube have to run anyway and we can't travel during peak hours.
I won't use public transport if I have to pay - so how will they make money ?
I feel so depressed that people seem to want to be unkind to pensioners now, yet when I was young, we wanted only the best for them.

Cambia

Living in a rural area, it would be quite nice to even have a bus available free or not!!

I live in a fairly large town but even here bus services are abysmal, especially as the only one I've used has just been discontinued. I'm just outside London but too far to benefit from a free pass for trains. I've used my bus pass elsewhere in the country when visiting friends and relatives, and my grandson considered it a great treat to be taken on the bus to a park a bit further away than the one they normally walk to. He lives in a city with great bus services.
I think free travel should be equalised across the country, but increasing provision requires money from somewhere and probably at the expense of motorists.
My ex moved to The Netherlands after our divorce and there public transport is much more efficient and affordable, but it is much more expensive to drive a car. He only drove if on holiday and he hired a car then. Since returnig to the UK he rarely drives as he lost confidence in the pandemic. His partner has a car though. He will get his bus pass soon but I think he cycles quite a bit.

I just come into Greater London area and I get free underground train and buses. I would be quite happy to pay a fee as I do for a senior rail card to allow me free travel. I don’t drive and use free travel a lot . I also buy theatre tickets exhibitions and art gallery tickets and eat in London. I would certainly not be able to or have the inclination to without my travel card.
But I also think young people should be subsidised too. There are also other areas in the UK where pensioners get free local train / metro services.

Ju but
How do you know they are illegal immigrants?

How are the Labour Government against pensioners? If they were, surely they would have scrapped the triple lock on state pensions, which probably isn't sustainable, and would not have U-turned on Winter Fuel Allowance?

I also use my pass mainly for buses, just occasionally the underground and trains. I think it would simply result in more car journeys if we couldn’t use passes for everything. I’d simply drive to where I could park without charge and catch buses to my destination easily if they’re in the congestion zone.

Mayor Khan is labour, and like the labour government are against pensioners and taking all they can away from them. You're right youngsters get some free travel. I pay for travel and get annoyed when I pay bus fare and illegal immigrants get on for free!!! I've worked 46 years in the NHS contributing to everything, and no further forward

Living in a rural area, it would be quite nice to even have a bus available free or not!!

RosiesMawagain

^effecting rail and trams mainly^.
its a nice perk to have,not sure if it has restricted hours though

I didn’t know there were trams in London.

tfl.gov.uk/modes/trams/

Also, daytime suburban trains are virtually empty whereas buses are crowded, so it is more sensible to use trains where possible.

I would be disappointed to lose the free trains if this happened as I quite often use them. I live too far out to get to central London by bus. The added cost would likely make me travel less often.
There is a separate issue of those age 60 to 65 getting free travel in London. Most special offers for over 60s have increased their age since the pension age increase. I wonder if this is also being looked at.

amassed "wealth"

I think it's a good thing for the young age group to access free bus travel across the country. That enables young people starting out to travel to work to contribute towards taxes. Plus when not working enables them to travel socially and spend money in leisure and service industries.

They are at a stage in life they have little amassed or savings and society needs their contribution. Plus it helps establish, hopefully a life long habit of using public travel with the potential to cut down on single passenger car driving over many years.

I felt the same Witzend when I lived in Greater London, the free trains, great and a massive privilege, but we could have afforded the fares, although I appreciate it's a huge benefit for those that can't which is why I perceived it to be overly generous to some who don't need it. Absolutely youngsters may need it more.