How Young Londoners Really Feel About Plans To Scrap Their Free Travel
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Kainaat Siddiqi, 16, from Hounslow, is due to start sixth form in September, at a school that’s a 45-minute bus journey from her home.
Kainaat, who’s an aspiring doctor, chose the school for its track-record in helping students secure university places studying medicine. But the government has announced plans to scrap free travel for under 18s and she’s no longer sure if she’ll be able to afford the fare.
“I’ve been doing a lot of research into online schools or going to sixth forms closer to home,” she tells HuffPost UK. “I’m honestly really scared, I’ve always wanted to be a doctor. I know that if I have to move to a different sixth form it will lower my chances.”
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In May, the government announced a £1.6bn bailout package for Transport for London (TFL), needed to keep services running amid the decrease in fare income caused by the pandemic.
As part of the package, the government said free travel would be “suspended” for under 18s – meaning the Zip cards frequently carried by young Londoners to access free or reduced travel will disappear. The details of the suspension, or how long it may last, remain unclear – sparking the hashtag #DontZapTheZip.
The government has said free travel to and from school will continue for children eligible, as identified by councils. However, thousands of families will now be expected to pick up the cost.
This will have life-changing impacts for children like Kainaat, who’s recently started a part-time job in retail alongside her studies.
“I come from a single parent household and my brother is working full-time to support the family. We’re definitely going to be...
