Shawcross defends free travel in face of Tory cuts plan
Valerie Shawcross AM, along with her Labour and Green Assembly colleagues, voted to keep free bus travel for young people in her constituency following a move to scrap the initiative by Tory Members of the Assembly. Free bus travel saves families hundreds of pounds a year on travelcards and bus tickets. Currently across Lambeth and Southwark almost 20,000 under 16-year olds and around 7,500 16 and 17 year old students benefit from the scheme. It is estimated that free travel saves families around £350 per year, per child. Responding to the Tories’ alternative budget in the City Hall Chamber this week Val said ‘What is clear is that investment in our young people is vital.’ she added ‘They need to be able to take advantage of the many life opportunities which growing up in London London has to offer them’. Val joined Assembly colleagues, Mayor Ken
Livingstone, Deputy Mayor Nicky Gavron, young people from across London
and a number of trade unionists, including Southwark councillor Andrew
Pakes, outside City Hall on Wednesday to protest at the proposals to cut
free travel. ‘This initiative not only enables children to travel
to school for free, providing an incentive for them to stay on at school
beyond sixteen, but allows them greater freedom to take part in other
leisure and extra curricular activities in the evenings at weekends.’
Val concluded ‘To suggest that improved life chances for our young
people should be reduced in this way is shockingly out of touch.’
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