Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER Published: 15 February 2008
Free travel goes nationwide
FREEDOM Passes must be renewed by April 1 to allow holders to travel free anywhere in the country.
More than 24,000 Islington residents are entitled to a Freedom Pass, which gives disabled Londoners and the over-60s free travel on trains, buses, trams and the Tube.
From April, Freedom Pass holders can travel free on buses outside morning peak times anywhere in England as part of the National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme.
Lib Dem member for health and social care Councillor John Gilbert said: “With a large number of older and disabled people living here, Islington has been one of London’s keenest champions of the Freedom Pass and supported an extension of the scheme last November. “We will continue to push for decisions on its future funding to be made locally and not by the Mayor of London.”
The Freedom Pass scheme is jointly funded by Islington Council and the government. Veteran actor Leslie Phillips is promoting the scheme to the country’s over-60s.