Sunday 21 May 2023

London Travel Card Withdrawal threat - please push for its retetion and versatility.

Update 01-08-23

Congratulations to Chris Hyomes for getting ERTA on BBC Radio 4 You and Yours Programme about it. Also our Bedford and Kempston MP has taken up the baton as well: https://mohammadyasin.org/rail-ticket-office-closure-consultation-response/ So a Bravo for all who are doing up proud and will this government listen? Consultation extended by a few weeks so far... we all remember the rail concessionary card attempt to eradicate them at Privatisation? It back-tracked! Costs have spiralled whilst most ordinary people are priced off public transport and government subsidies for more roads/road-based guzzling or battery jobs-at-any-cost, when reopening local railways would massively boost sustainable employment and supply chains. Yet Labour itself is not pro-green as much as it should be it seems. So all need continual lobbying and levelling up for equality for all in better public transport access, but affordability as well in the wider environmental interest please. Join our email newsy loop free via requests to richard.erta@gmail.com

What others are doing: 
I believe a third council from Wokingham has spoken out against TFL's proposal to withdraw One Day Travelcards.


Also, the London Assembly Member named Caroline Pidgeon has published an open letter objecting to TFL's proposal and provided loads of detail including people that had their wallets stolen.


Media coverage 05-06-2023: 

Update 02-06-2023

This is the consultation
https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/travelcards
The email address to engage in the consultation is Haveyoursay@tfl.gov.uk

He can also contact TFL using the government relations email address.
https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/how-we-work/public-affairs#on-this-page-2
memberscorrespondence@tfl.gov.uk

Also, you can show him the video posted on YouTube by a transport enthusiast raising issues with the withdrawal of the One Day Travelcard, with references in the description and comments raised under the video. Also people who don't have Oyster or contactless won't be able to travel on London's buses as they don't accept cash payments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbSu5ylZonY

And the sales of the One Day Travelcards had increased since the Coronavirus pandemic started in 2020.
https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transparency/freedom-of-information/foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-2365-2223

Also the MP should know about the London Mayor's transport duty
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1999/29/section/141

and the Equality Act 2010 as it will affect protected groups.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/part/1
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/notes/division/3/1/1

and

Would you be able to share this out to various people including your local MP and Neil Middleton of Railfuture please.

This is very recent information I've found on TFL's freedom of information website about the Day Travelcards:

TfL Issued Tickets
Year 2018/19
2019/20
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23

Issues TfL Revenue (£) Issues TfL Revenue (£) Issues TfL Revenue (£) Issues TfL Revenue (£) Issues TfL Revenue (£)
Day Travelcard (Peak) 823,871 9,438,239 726,700 8,306,361 21,040 286,193 160,876 1,912,416 521,845 5,883,158

Day Travelcard (Off-peak) 4,564,103 46,270,685 3,678,702 38,541,652 216,796 1,919,530 1,439,986 14,470,122 3,049,404 32,181,557
of which Railcard discount N/A
236,880
27,525
141,943
181,881
of which Group Day Travelcard N/A
216,347
806
16,092
132,902

N/A - these figures were not reported at the time and data required to extract this from is only kept for 4 years.

Here's a link to the freedom of information page containing the spreadsheet attachment.
https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transparency/freedom-of-information/foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-0339-2324

This is proof that TFL must retain the Day Travelcards and they must finally back off on their decision.

The campaign is making progress and we welcome you to kindly help keep up the pressure. Thanks to all who have responded.
ERTA London More Rails for Hertfordshire English Regional Transport Association (ERTA)

Hope food for thought and action in favour of retention of the Travelcard please. Write/email your MP: https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons

Update 23-05-2023

I've found a few documents on the Parliament and government website in regards to social and financial exclusion.


TFL have still yet to publish an Equality Impact Assessment on their proposal.

The Equality Act 2010 states:

Section 1

Public sector duty regarding socio-economic inequalities
(1) An authority to which this section applies must, when making decisions of a strategic nature about how to exercise its functions, have due regard to the desirability of exercising them in a way that is designed to reduce the inequalities of outcome which result from socio-economic disadvantage.

(2) In deciding how to fulfil a duty to which it is subject under subsection (1), an authority must take into account any guidance issued in accordance with subsection (2A).

(3) The authorities to which this section applies are—
(d) the Greater London Authority;

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/part/1

Explanatory Notes
Commentary on Section 1

23. This section requires specified public bodies, when making strategic decisions such as deciding priorities and setting objectives, to consider how their decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage. Such inequalities could include inequalities in education, health, housing, crime rates, or other matters associated with socio-economic disadvantage. It is for public bodies subject to the duty to determine which socio-economic inequalities they are in a position to influence.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/notes/division/3/1/1

Although TFL is not mentioned in this legislation, they are under control of the GLA.

And to recap the Mayor's statutory transport duties in the GLA Act 1999:

Section 141

General transport duty.
(1) The Mayor shall develop and implement policies for the promotion and encouragement of safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport facilities and services to, from and within Greater London.

(2) The powers of the Authority under this Part shall be exercised for the purpose of securing the provision of the transport facilities and services mentioned in subsection (1) above.

(3) The transport facilities and services mentioned in subsection (1) above include facilities and services for pedestrians and are—
(a) those required to meet the needs of persons living or working in, or visiting, Greater London, and
(b) those required for the transportation of freight.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1999/29/section/141

Everyone must take note of these legislations, they don't have to be an expert in law, if TFL and the Mayor decides to proceed with the proposal to make travel in London much harder, then organisations (especially disability groups as they have Railcard discounts for themselves and their companions) should challenge this against TFL and the Mayor in courts.

Quick update, TFL has extended the deadline for the engagement by two weeks (6th June) which gives us enough time.

https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/travelcards

I've taken a read of Rail Future's articles calling on TFL to retain the Day Travelcards.
 
https://railfuture.org.uk/article1903-Keep-the-London-Travelcard
https://railfuture.org.uk/Press-release-11th-May-2023-B
 
Would you be able to share the email (including the one below) to Neil Middleton, as he missed out on various points made by my friend. I've been seeing more people raising concerns on social media about how the loss of the Day Travelcards will make it harder for them to travel in situations where their Oyster or Freedom pass and contactless card get lost or stolen. Unfortunately, London is a high crime area, and many people lost their belongings to pickpockets and robberies. TFL's proposal will make travel to and within London much harder and will create barriers, especially among vulnerable and the disabled people.
 
Also, people who are waiting for their replacement Oyster card or Freedom pass (including 60+ Oyster) and their contactless card to arrive at their address won't be able to travel because the cost of a new Oyster card is £7, which is very expensive! That means they won't be able to travel to work or attend their appointments.
 
Neil has also missed out that London's buses haven't taken cash fares since 2014, TFL's proposal will definitely make it hard for people to travel on London's buses without the Day Travelcards.
 
This is why the in boundary part of the Day Travelcard must be retained because it will affect victims of crime and other vulnerable people!
A YouTuber with over 25k subscribers has also raised concerns about TFL's proposal and raised similar points. I suggest that the video be shared with Neil, and some of the commenters raised their concerns as wll.
https://youtu.be/IbSu5ylZonY
 
A disability organisation named Inclusion London and Inclusion Barnet has raised their concerns about TFL's proposal on Twitter.
 
https://twitter.com/InclusionLondon/status/1653750938769711105
 
More transport organisations and the Reading Council has also raised their concerns.
 
https://newsroom.londontravelwatch.org.uk/news/scrapping-day-travelcards-transport-watchdog-responds
https://twitter.com/TransportFocus/status/1653331958749962244
https://bettertransport.org.uk/media/withdrawing-day-travelcards-will-be-a-step-backwards-says-transport-charity/
https://media.reading.gov.uk/news/council-objects-to-proposed-removal-of-one-day-travelcard-to-london
 
Also in the email below, Neil should quote the Mayor of London's statutory transport duty from the GLA Act. I'm not a lawyer, but this piece of legislation must be raised to know that the Mayor may breach his statutory transport duty by allowing TFL to proceed with the proposal, along with the Equality Act 2010, as TFL's proposal will affect various protected groups. If the Mayor presses ahead with TFL's proposal, someone (including an organisation) should be taking legal action against the Mayor and test the GLA Act statutory transport powers and the Equality Act 2010 in courts.
 
Also, you're welcome to pass the information on to your local MP.
 
Good morning
 

Sorry for the late response.

I'll have to mention that the loss of the One Day Travelcards will cause people to get stranded and will deter people from visiting London.

I've been told a story by a friend of a friend of a friend, etc. She mentioned that she had her Oyster card stolen to pick pockets, and she does not hold contactless cards as she fears thieves would use her stolen cards to buy stuff and travel on public transport as they don't require a chip and pin.

She's lucky she had cash (a minimum of £20) with her, which allowed her to buy a One Day Travelcard at a station to continue with her journey.

She had to wait ages for her new Oyster card to get sent through the post, there's no point getting a new one on the day because it costs £7, and it's really expensive! Instead, she purchases a One Day Travelcard on each day until her new Oyster card arrives in the post as she has to travel by train (TFL and National Rail) and bus in London to work, etc.

 

Not only will the withdrawal of the One Day Travelcard affect various groups of people (ranging from the disabled, vulnerable, tourists, etc.), but they will also have problems travelling on London's buses as they don't take cash payments and only accept Oyster cards and contactless cards.


This will certainly cause more vulnerable people to get stranded, especially companions of Railcard holders as they get 1/3 off on the One Day Travelcards, and this will cause more problems for the companions of disabled people that are wheelchair bound as they won't be able to travel on London's buses! This will cause disruption to London's bus services, as it will cause problems for bus drivers!

 

The big issue is that the withdrawal of the One Day Travelcard will cause people to get stranded!

 

Imagine losing your Oyster and contactless cards to thieves. How would you be able to travel? Especially as you safely arrived home and still had to wait for TFL and your bank to send you replacement cards, which usually take a long time, and you won't be able to travel on public transport because TFL ended the sale of One Day Travelcards? The people at the Greater London Authority (including the Mayor), TFL, and the government should realise the mental pain these people had to go through!


Please, I urge you to get your followers and subscribers to contact their local MP, Councillor, Assembly Member, etc. and raise their concerns on how TFL's proposal will affect all groups of people including the vulnerable! Also tell others, such as transport user groups, charities, etc., to do the same!


https://www.writetothem.com/


To recap, the people, including the Ministers in the Department for Transport, like to claim that TFL is a devolved matter, but they actually have the power by law to veto the proposal!

 

Greater London Authority Act 1999


Section 143 - Directions by the Secretary of State.

(1) Where the Secretary of State considers that—

(a) the transport strategy (or any part of it) is inconsistent with national policies relating to transport, and

(b) the inconsistency is detrimental to any area outside Greater London, he may direct the Mayor to make such revisions of the transport strategy in order to remove the inconsistency as may be specified in the direction.


(2) Where the Secretary of State gives the Mayor a direction under subsection (1) above, the Mayor shall revise the transport strategy in accordance with the direction.


https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1999/29/section/143

 

And the proposal to withdraw the One Day Travelcards is against the Mayor of London's statutory transport duty:


Section 141 - General transport duty.

(1) The Mayor shall develop and implement policies for the promotion and encouragement of safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport facilities and services to, from and within Greater London.


(2) The powers of the Authority under this Part shall be exercised for the purpose of securing the provision of the transport facilities and services mentioned in subsection (1) above.


(3) The transport facilities and services mentioned in subsection (1) above include facilities and services for pedestrians and are—

(a) those required to meet the needs of persons living or working in, or visiting, Greater London, and

(b) those required for the transportation of freight.


https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1999/29/section/141

 

Please, don't forget to quote these laws to MPs, Councillors and Assembly Members!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbSu5ylZonY&authuser=0

Note the author wishes to remain anon. ERTA passes this information on in good faith. For the medium term, join ERTA and give us your help and support: https://ertarail.co.uk/

 

 

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Location: London, UK

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