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Sarah Teather and Brent Liberal DemocratsWorking Hard for Brent |
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Freedom Pass Threat Must Be Stopped - Teather
August 17, 2009 11:18 AM
Brent MP Sarah Teather is standing up for local pensioners
Brent's local Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather has written to the Secretary of State for Transport protesting against possible cuts to the popular Freedom Pass.
The Freedom Pass allows people over the age of sixty or who have a disability to travel free of charge on London's bus and underground network. In 2008 the government agreed to pay £55 million a year, for three years, into this scheme. However, ministers are now threatening to withhold the final year's payment so they can allocate money to free travel schemes in other parts of the country instead.
The last census showed that there are more than 40,000 people in Brent over the age of sixty. London Councils have estimated that if the government cut this year's Freedom Pass funding, Brent taxpayers would have to make up a £2million funding shortfall if the scheme were to continue.
Local Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East Sarah Teather said:
"Tube and bus fairs in London are really expensive, and older people in Brent rely on the Freedom Pass to get around. Without the Freedom Pass hundreds of pensioners would be cooped up at home, struggling to get out and enjoy their retirement.
"Everyone knows we are going to have to tighten our belts over the next few years, but squeezing older people dry simply can't be the answer. With Labour determined to press ahead with billions of pounds worth of new nuclear weapons, you have to wonder if they have got their priorities right.
"If the government have only just realised that they haven't put enough money into their much lauded UK travel schemes, then they should do their sums again and stump up for what they promised. It simply isn't fair to pay for travel elsewhere in the country by making pensioners in London hand back their Freedom Pass."
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