Evening Standard reports "TfL announces big hike in cost of applying for a 60+ Oyster card"

[jazzer]

"The cost of applying for a free travel card for older Londoners is to almost double.

Transport for London has announce that it will increase the cost of obtaining a 60+ Oyster card from £20 to £35.

In addition, the annual eligibility check – an administrative process required to retain the perk – will increase from £10 to £18.

The 60+ Oyster is regarded as one of the best benefits available to Londoners as it provides free weekday travel on all TfL services after 9am and on national rail services within Greater London after 9.30am, and at any time at the weekend.

The changes will come into effect next Tuesday, July 22 – with the charges reviewed annually going forward.

TfL said the increases were the first in a decade and were needed due to wider financial constraints within the capital’s transport agency.

There will also be a £1 increase in the cost of applying for Oyster Zip cards for children and young people.

The increases in Zip cards will be as follows:

• 5-10 Zip Oyster photocard, charged at £11 (currently £10).

• 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard, charged at £16 (currently £15).

• 16+ Zip Oyster photocard, charged at £21 (currently £20).

• 18+ Student Oyster photocard, charged at £21 (currently £20)

• Apprentice Oyster photocard, charged at £21 (currently £20). 

• 18-25 Care Oyster photocard, charged at £21 (currently £20).

There will be no changes to the fees associated with the Freedom Pass, which is managed by London Councils.

About 1.3 million older Londoners have a 60+ Oyster or a Freedom Pass. Hundreds of thousands of children and teenagers use a Zip card, which generally provides half-price Tube fares and free bus journeys.

However TfL forgoes an estimated £80m a year in fares income due to use of the 60+ Oyster.

The announcement comes after 78 TfL executives were revealed to have earned more than the Prime Minister last year.

Michael Roberts, chief executive of London TravelWatch, which represents passengers, said: "Higher TfL photocard fees, especially for the over-60s, will be unwelcome news to Londoners who continue to feel the pinch of the ongoing cost of living crisis and some of the most expensive public transport fares in Europe.

"Annual index-linked increases might in future avoid big hikes in fees, but it's disappointing that more isn't being done to soften the blow this year for 60+ card holders on lower incomes.

"Londoners will be wondering what further unpleasant revenue-raising surprises TfL might have in store over the coming months."

John McGeachy, of Age UK London, said: "Although we recognise that the costs of delivering services do rise over time, it is important that TfL are aware that with 24 per cent of Londoners in the 60-64 age group living in poverty, there are many people for whom these amounts will not feel insignificant.

“We would like to see TfL take steps to ensure that more eligible Londoners are aware of the 60+ Oyster photo card and for the application and eligibility check process to be made as accessible as possible.

“We know that the 60+ Oyster card is a lifeline for many Londoners and believe it should be protected in the short, medium and long-term."

People who lose their 60+ Oyster will have to pay £18 for a replacement, up from £10.

The cost of replacing a Zip card will increase from £10 to £11.

In addition, TfL is also planning to increase the fee for new Oyster cards and Visitor Oyster cards from £7 to £10 from September 7.

In 2020, London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan banned the use of the 60+ Oyster and Freedom Pass before 9am, initially due to the pandemic.

The 60+ Oyster was introduced by Boris Johnson as mayor in 2012 when Freedom Pass eligibility was changed in line with changes to the State pension age for women.

The aim was to provide for those who had chosen, or been forced, to retire early. It meant Londoners received travel benefits not available to the rest of the country.

More than half of Londoners aged 60 to 64 are still in work. About one in five use their 60+ Oyster for work-related travel.

TfL said the large increase in the cost of the 60+ Oyster was because, of its various concessions, it has “the biggest gap between the estimated revenue that we would receive were these journeys paid for, and the income we receive through fees”.

Alex Williams, chief customer and strategy officer at TfL, said: “We are fully committed to keeping travel in London affordable and accessible to everyone.

“Our fees for photocards haven’t increased in 10 years, and these changes will mean that we can continue to provide these concessions while ensuring that the fees better reflect our costs for operating the schemes.”

Edited yesterday at 17:22 by jazzer

[snowy]

Who cut the central government funding for TfL Jazzer? 2015 if you need a reminder.
 

How many other major European cities aren't subsidised centrally? It's practically zero as they all see public transport as a public good.
 

i assume that you support Khan's pressure to reverse those subsidy cuts to long term, sustainable income?

Edited yesterday at 17:47 by snowy

[jazzer]

Why are you picking an argument?

All I have done is copied the info from the Evening Standard. Take as it is, if you have an issue take it up with TfL or Mayor Khan, but not me, put another way, don't shoot the messenger. 

Who I do or do not support ain't up for discussion. 

 

Edited yesterday at 20:13 by jazzer

[Rockets]

5 hours ago, snowy said:

Who cut the central government funding for TfL Jazzer? 2015 if you need a reminder

To be fair @snowy Sadiq did this time round because between the Tory government and Labour government he suddenly decided he needed to ask for 50% less money....https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1dp7w6p775o

Edited 21 hours ago by Rockets

[CPR Dave]

"annual eligibility check"

 

Are they worried that some cardholders may get younger each year and so are no longer eligible? 

[Spartacus]

CPR Dave,  I think its to make sure they haven't passed over the rainbow bridge and someone else is using their twirlypass 

[OutOfFocus]

Or no longer live in London.