Following on from our recent reports of our collaboration with Dai Davies MP for Blaenau Gwent, both he and the Greater Manchester Campaign for Free Public Transport are pleased to announce the date of the Inaugural Conference of a National Campaign for Free Public Transport in Britain. The launch meeting will be on Saturday 16th October (re-arranged from 20th March), and will take place at the Britannia Hotel, New Street, Birmingham from 11.0am to 5.00pm. Speakers and the agenda are yet to be announced.
Speaking on behalf of the provisional steering committee responsible for organising the event, which is chaired by Dai Davies, Salford based free public transport campaigner Bob Jeffrey said:
"Supporters of our campaign need to put this date down in their diaries now, and do their utmost to get there on the day, ideally along with a delegation from their union branch, workplace, college, school or local community group.
"We need to get the largest possible turnout from across the length and breadth of Britain, from all over Scotland, England and Wales and not just from a few big cities like London, Birmingham, Manchester & Glasgow."
In January 2010 the committee adopted the following aims and objectives, which will be put to the inaugural conference for consideration.
Aims:
The aim of the Campaign for Free Public Transport is to secure an expanded, land and water based public transport system that is fully integrated, accessible, reliable, publicly owned and ultimately free for all at the point of use.
Objectives:
1. To defend the free bus pass for the over 60s.
2. To extend free public transport to children, young people, the unemployed and those in receipt of income support.
3. To secure public ownership of the public transport system, its expansion, full integration and rational planning.
4. To defend and extend the availability and reliability of public transport.
5. To conduct rigorous research on the funding and organisation of public transport.
6. To disseminate the Aims of the Campaign and build public support for them.
Sponsorship:
We are inviting individuals and organisations to sponsor this conference (in a personal capacity if preferred). If you, or your organisation, would like to add your name as a sponsor of the conference (no financial commitment necessary), or if you would like to be kept informed of developments by email, please send an email to: manchester@freepublictransports.com or write to: Campaign for Free Public Transport, PO Box 31, Bridge 5 Mill, Manchester M4 7HR
AS CLIMATE SUMMIT FAILS IN COPENHAGEN MANCHESTER CAMPAIGNERS CALL FOR FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO
HELP TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS, TRAFFIC CONGESTION & POLLUTION, CREATE THOUSANDS OF NEW 'GREENER' JOBS
& TO PUT MONEY BACK IN ORDINARY FOLK'S POCKETS!
Our last news update featured an article reporting that Ministers are under increasing pressure to impose restrictions on free bus passes for pensioners after a leading transport operator warned that giving old people a "blank cheque" for travel is financially unsustainable.
The free bus pass, a key benefit for 11 million over-60s, costs £1bn a year, but is the cause of mounting tension between local authorities and bus operators. Both sides say it is inadequately funded and the financial strain has increased since it was extended to allow pensioners to travel anywhere in the UK - prompting two friends to travel more than 500 miles by bus from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Land's End last year.
Keith Ludeman, Chief Executive of Go-Ahead Group, whose services operate in London, Oxford, Brighton and the north-east, told the Observer: "The government has stated that the pass must become a smart card [similar to London's Oyster card]. Like any card, it can be limited with a certain amount of value and that seems a reasonable move. Pensioners cannot be given a blank cheque."
If the demands of the private operators are not considered a sufficient threat to our senior citizens' free bus pass, recent announcements by Labour & the Tory alike, and plans already underway, point to massive public expenditure cuts across the board whoever is elected at the General election, and may get the axe altogether in the attempt to balance the country's books following the massive multi-£billion bail-outs.
Help the Aged have rejected the call for any restrictions, claiming that the pass is vital for tackling one of the least publicised problems among the elderly - isolation. "One in eight old people would describe themselves as isolated and lonely and transport is key to assuaging that. Limiting the card could undermine the progress that we have made," said David Sinclair, the charity's head of policy.
To cap it all however, and if the calls by the private operators and the major cuts pledges of the two main political parties are not alarming enough, it seems we also have people amongst us in Britain who are actually campaigning to abolish the 60 and overs' free bus immediately.
Check out the thousand plus sick and selfish folk who have set up this SCRAP THE FREE BUS PASSES FOR PENSIONER'S (E'PETITION) on facebook. According to its administrator - Oliver Andrew Peters "the free travel that all pensioners get at the cost to the tax payers of this counrty. . . . is one 'privilege' to much."
Pity about the rat's spelling and grammar (it's 'country' not 'counrty' and 'too' much' you selfish, ageist, plonker!) What a disgrace of a human being this man is, and what a disgraceful lot all of those people who have signed up to his "E'PETITION".
If you use the social-networking site Facebook then why not sign up to our CfFPT Facebook Group and encourage your "friends" to do the same?
We're hoping to top the 1500 member mark before the May 6th elections, but need thousands more if we are to build up our credibility as a campaign. Please support us by SIGNING UP NOW!
Following on from our recent reports of our collaboration with Dai Davies MP for Blaenau Gwent, both he and the Greater Manchester Campaign for Free Public Transport are pleased to announce the date of the Inaugural Conference of a National Campaign for Free Public Transport in Britain. The launch meeting will be on Saturday 16th October (re-arranged from 20th March), and will take place at the Britannia Hotel, New Street, Birmingham from 11.0am to 5.00pm. Speakers and the agenda are yet to be announced.
