Reader letter - Still no answers from mayor on elderly train concessions

Or, if he’s in the process of restoring it through his access to funding or the £10 card Greater Manchester and Newcastle use, just to announce the details in the pages of The Star.

I’m saddened, but not surprised that no such reason has been given and no such undertaking announced.

I wrote privately to Mr Jarvis to remind him of the issues, but he chose not to respond. He’s our mayor.

He can’t expect to see an extraordinarily cheap concession for 300,000-plus of the most vulnerable in our region be removed and just shrug your shoulders, take an ‘it’s nothing to do with me stance’ and expect people to do nothing about it.

As our MP he remained silent and now as the SCR mayor, we see the same sullen silence.

We have put forward solution after solution, but it seems Mr Jarvis is only interested in supporting those who’ve not yet reached pension age and the 300,000 pensioners, many of whom are living in dire poverty, aren’t worthy of his support, or even interest.

We have among the worst pensions in Europe with four in 10 entitled to pension credit but not getting it.

The fact pensioners need pension credit should be a cause for shame in the sixth largest economy seems to be beneath comment as well.

So we ask again, state clearly why you won’t do anything to restore the full concession, or state what actions you are taking to restore it.

With empty trains and strong protective measures being taken on the trains, now is an ideal time to get pensioners out and about, getting the exercise we need to be fit enough to help ward off not just Covid, but the winter ailments which lead to thousands of early and avoidable deaths.

And finally here’s what he said in his manifesto, his platform for the election, ‘a Co-operative Community’, setting out ambitious plans on devolution and regional development, and putting co-operative principles to use to offer a new, more radical approach to the region’s services and economy.

It seeks to put local people at the heart of everything he would do if elected mayor, ensuring they have a greater say in the choices that affect their lives, and a greater stake in the services they rely on.

No-one forced him to stand for the role of mayor, but many who supported him did so on the basis that he was as good as his word. And that’s what the elderly and Freedom Riders expect.

If he can’t then he’s free to leave, so we can elect someone else who can ensure we ‘have a greater say in the choices that affect their lives’.

And an honest response.

Mike Smith

South Yorkshire Freedom Rider