Proposed new government concessionary fares funding deal angers London Councils

Released on 04 November 2009: thanks to Cllr. Dennis Doe (Con. Tudor Ward) for drawing my attention to it.

The government’s decision today (Wednesday) to reopen the third year of the funding settlement for the national bus concession has angered London Councils.

Under a three year package announced by government in 2008, London was set to receive around £58 million in 2010/2011 to help cover the cost of providing free off peak bus travel in the capital.

However, today Minister for Transport, Sadiq Khan announced that he was reopening the consultation on the final year of the settlement – which could result in London losing around half of this funding.

London Councils fears the capital is losing out because it has run a statutory concessionary fares scheme – the Freedom Pass – for over two decades.