South Yorkshire's Freedom Riders: what happened and when

Six years of the Freedom Riders

March 2014: South Yorkshire Freedom Riders were formed when plans for free local train travel was due to be taken away from elderly and disabled pass holders in March 2014. Disabled pass holders won all rights back but pensioners only gained partial concessions.June 2014: Campaigners George Arthur and Tony Nuttall, both in their 60s, were arrested and charged with obstruction and fare evasion after a protest at Sheffield railway station. The charges were dropped that December.July 2014: Campaigners vote to carry on the lobby for free bus travel to commuters going in to Manchester, Liverpool, West Midlands and London.December 2015: SYFR join protests and sign 12,500-plus petition to reverse sweeping bus cuts in Sheffield which brought mass disruption and chaos for passengers.February 2016: Campaign group hit out at plans to increase child concessionary fare to 70 pence and cite concession budget has a £2 million underspend.March 2016: Group on call on Government to reverse cuts to public transport budgets after South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive make £8.5 million worth of reductions to their 2016/2017 budgets.June 2017: Four South Yorkshire Police officers face disciplinary hearing in relation to the arrest of two campaigners in 2014.October 2019: SYFR submit their representations to the South Yorkshire Bus Review and call for ‘serious conversations’ around franchising and public ownership.August 2020: Group call on Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis to introduce an annual pass to enable free public transport travel across the county like schemes in the North East and Greater Manchester.Current position for senior citizen concessionary travel:* Free travel on local bus services and trams within South Yorkshire between 0930 and 2300 on weekdays, and at any time during the weekend and on Bank Holidays* Half fare on Northern train services for travel between stations on the South Yorkshire rail network between 0930 and 2300 on weekdays, and at any time during the weekend and on Bank Holidays* Free travel on buses in all other parts of England between 0930 and 2300 on weekdays, and at any time during the weekend and on Bank Holidays. (Pass is not valid on tram services outside South Yorkshire.)* Free of charge (first issue)* Free travel on Stagecoach services to hospital appointments before 0930 in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Chesterfield (appointment letter needed on day of travel)