Outrageous Children's Travelcard Fare Rise

[girasol]

How does London Underground justify the rise of a child's monthly travelcard, zones 1/2, from £33.1 to £42.70? My own adult monthly travelcard only went up by under £2...

Any ideas, anyone????

Even the woman who sold me ticket went off into a rant, telling me the commuters weren't the only ones LU were treating without any consideration!

This is not on! And I can't tell you how powerless and angry I feel, I'm being robbed!

 

[lighterthief]

I thought kids got free travel. Obviously not

 

[zenie]

I thought kids got free travel. Obviously not

No only buses

 

[magneze]

I think the adult fare is capped under the PPP deal whereas the child fare isn't because not many children travel then. It's blatant profiteering - the same thing is happening on the overland trains.

 

[girasol]

I thought kids got free travel. Obviously not

Only under 5s, sadly...

Transport now costs me so much money I'm considering selling my flat to live much nearer work. So much for making public transport more viable... Thieving bastards!!!!

If the traffic wasn't so bad I'd drive in every day because it's so much cheaper!!!!

 

[lighterthief]

How many kids need to buy a monthly travelcard for the tube? Is it for travelling to school?

I'm not a kid and I don't have any so am genuinely curious here.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

This isn't an Oyster question, is it?

 

[zenie]

How many kids need to buy a monthly travelcard for the tube? Is it for travelling to school?

I'm not a kid and I don't have any so am genuinely curious here.

Well I reckon it could be for school yes.

Although I dont think that makes any difference.

How would you get to school if for instance you lived in Clapham south but went to school in Pimlico.

Is there a bus all the way there and how long would it take??

I'd definitley enquire about the price rise.

 

[spring-peeper]

That's one heck of a jump, especially if you have several children.

Is this increase in keeping with the cost-of-living/inflation index?

I'm really glad that I don't have to come up an extra £10 per child per month to get them to school.

 

[shandy]

How would you get to school if for instance you lived in Clapham south but went to school in Pimlico.

Local authorities issue free travel passes if the journey to school is over a certain distance (3 miles in the case of my local authority) but only if there are no schools nearer than that.

I suppose this is mainly going to effect all the kids who travel half way accross London to get to either private school or some form of selective school.

 

[lighterthief]

I suppose this is mainly going to effect all the kids who travel half way accross London to get to either private school or some form of selective school.

That's what I wondered. To be fair I'm not too upset if kids who are being schooled privately have to pay their way re transport. However, might there be other situations where through no fault/choice of their own children have to travel by tube to school? Can anyone enlighten me?

 

[girasol]

Local authorities issue free travel passes if the journey to school is over a certain distance (3 miles in the case of my local authority) but only if there are no schools nearer than that.

I suppose this is mainly going to effect all the kids who travel half way accross London to get to either private school or some form of selective school.

You couldn't be more wrong. I put my son in a school near my work (it's just a normal school) otherwise I would have had to give up my job (which is a good job but it's far from where I live) as I wouldn't have had time to drop him off and pick him up from the after school group, after I split up from my son's father and he moved to the other side of London.

Perhaps you shouldn't make assumptions before knowing the full facts.

Some parents take their kids to schools near work as it makes sense, and some schools do accept children from parents who work in the area. I quite like the fact that my son is just across the road from me and that we travel to and from school/work together, so we get to spend more time in each other's company.

 

[citydreams]

Iemanja, please write to your GLA representative. I will try and find out who set the price..

 

[girasol]

Iemanja, please write to your GLA representative.

I wrote to my mp already, and Ken (also I sent an outraged message via the LU complaints form)

Anyone else I should write to? (finding out who my GLA rep is at the mo)

 

[girasol]

Iemanja, please write to your GLA representative. I will try and find out who set the price..

Hey, just wrote an email to Jennette Arnold, my GLA rep. Let me know if you do find out who set the price. Cheers!

 

[citydreams]

Don't forget to chase Jeanette up about this! afaik the mayor's questions have not been submitted yet..

 

[shandy]

You couldn't be more wrong. I put my son in a school near my work (it's just a normal school) otherwise I would have had to give up my job (which is a good job but it's far from where I live) as I wouldn't have had time to drop him off and pick him up from the after school group, after I split up from my son's father and he moved to the other side of London.

Perhaps you shouldn't make assumptions before knowing the full facts.

Some parents take their kids to schools near work as it makes sense, and some schools do accept children from parents who work in the area. I quite like the fact that my son is just across the road from me and that we travel to and from school/work together, so we get to spend more time in each other's company.

Good for you. If I worked somewhere where I could guarantee I'd still be employed for the duration of my kid's schooling I might do the same.

I did say "I suppose this is mainly going to affect", which is different from saying "this will only affect".

And I'd still venture that the majority of kids travelling significant distances will be doing so to attend a particular private/selective school.

 

[girasol]

Good for you. If I worked somewhere where I could guarantee I'd still be employed for the duration of my kid's schooling I might do the same.

You dont' really think there are many jobs these days that can guarantee that, do you???

I'm only doing the best I can and for the foreseable future that's the best option. If you can control your life to the point where you know you will keep a job for at least 6 years (i.e. primary education) then you have some amazing powers!

AND I'm still pissed off that this thread has turned into me justifying my son's schooling... What the hell has that got to do with a ridiculous fare increase?????

Whether people take their kids to a private school or not the fare increase is still OUTRAGEOUS and way, way above the inflation!

 

[lighterthief]

You dont' really think there are many jobs these days that can guarantee that, do you???

I'm only doing the best I can and for the foreseable future that's the best option. If you can control your life to the point where you know you will keep a job for at least 6 years (i.e. primary education) then you have some amazing powers!

AND I'm still pissed off that this thread has turned into me justifying my son's schooling... What the hell has that got to do with a ridiculous fare increase?????

Whether people take their kids to a private school or not the fare increase is still OUTRAGEOUS and way, way above the inflation!

Whoah, I don't think it was anyone's intention (and certainly not mine) to ask you to justify the way your son was schooled.

I was merely puzzled as to why a child of school age would need to be travelling every day on the tube to get to school. And you have answered the question. Personally, though, I do think it will be those who are being educated privately or are travelling to some type of selective school - when they could be educated closer to home - who will bear the brunt of this increase. It seems unfortunate that you and your son have been caught up in this.

And yes, it is a big increase. I'll leave it at that

 

[girasol]

Do you have any kids? Your views regarding schooling are rather idealised...

There are instances where local schools DO NOT have enough spaces for all the children in the area.

There are boroughs that don't have enough schools for its children: Lambeth is one of them...

There are schools which are terrible and I don't blame parents who want to give their children a better education, and so avoid putting their kids into bad schools.

Your comments were rather naive and you seemed to be using this thread to comment on an issue you don't seem to know much about.

 

[toggle]

And I'd still venture that the majority of kids travelling significant distances will be doing so to attend a particular private/selective school.

Unless they have other reasons to avoid the nearby schools, which may be selective schools, single sex schools, Academies with creationism on the curriculum, church schools, schools that are atended by kids who have severely bullied the kid concerned etc.

 

[lighterthief]

Do you have any kids? Your views regarding schooling are rather idealised...

There are instances where local schools DO NOT have enough spaces for all the children in the area.

There are boroughs that don't have enough schools for its children: Lambeth is one of them...

Your comments were rather naive and you seemed to be using this thread to comment on an issue you don't seem to know much about.

Is this aimed at me?

 

[shandy]

AND I'm still pissed off that this thread has turned into me justifying my son's schooling...

You turned it into that. Who's asking you to justify anything?

I said I'd do the same thing

 

[girasol]

You turned it into that. Who's asking you to justify anything?

I said I'd do the same thing

There was a certain 'the fares will mainly affect people who can afford to take their children to private school so it doesn't really matter' attitude.

To show that this is absolutely not the case I felt that I had to explain my situation.

 

[wtfftw]

I travelled for school. First from Brixton to Forest Hill and then from Brixton to Pimlico.


The fare increases are basically disgusting. Across the board.

 

[citydreams]

Don't forget to chase Jeanette up about this! afaik the mayor's questions have not been submitted yet..

The next London Assembly meeting on the 18th of Jan is being reserved to grill Bob Kiley.

Mayor’s Question Time meeting is held on Wednesday 25 January 2006 at 10.00am in the Chamber, City Hall.

 

[trashpony]

I've been reading this thread today but haven't been able to reply because of work but I just wanted to express my utter amazement at this post:

I was merely puzzled as to why a child of school age would need to be travelling every day on the tube to get to school. And you have answered the question.

So despite the fact that Iemanja (and several other people) patiently explained to you that all sorts of people are affected by heightened child fares, and that many kids in London don't have the luxury (because that's what it is) of going to a local school which a) has space and b) offers a decent eduction, you go on to say this in the same post!

Personally, though, I do think it will be those who are being educated privately or are travelling to some type of selective school - when they could be educated closer to home - who will bear the brunt of this increase.

Eh?

Idiot.

 

[wiskey]

accidental post

 

[Mrs Magpie]

And I'd still venture that the majority of kids travelling significant distances will be doing so to attend a particular private/selective school.

You are so wrong. Most kids in Lambeth travel out of borough because Lambeth has sold off the schools.

 

[lighterthief]

You are so wrong. Most kids in Lambeth travel out of borough because Lambeth has sold off the schools.

What an odd situation. Doesn't Lambeth have a statutory duty to provide education to young people from the borough? What do the other local boroughs think of kids from Lambeth taking places in their schools? Presumably Lambeth has to pay them for the places? And, if there are insufficient school places in Lambeth, is there a duty on the local authority to assist with the cost of getting to/from outside schools?

Apologies if this is turning a transport question into an education question.