Johnson Reveals ‘Veterans Pass’ Scheme

Boris Johnson’s campaign team have revealed more details of his ‘Veterans Pass’ scheme which was announced in today’s Sun.

The scheme would entitle all London residents in receipt of War Pension or its replacement the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and war widows to free travel on the capital’s bus network.

The new pass is designed to compliment the existing Freedom Pass which allows Londoners who are registered disabled or of retirement age to use the network at no charge.

A spokesman for Mr Johnson’s campaign said MOD and British Legion figures suggest that approximately 65% of London veterans under 60 are not registered disabled and are therefore unable to benefit from the Freedom pass.

Johnson’s advisers have “assumed that all of the war widows of below retirement age would also benefit” from the new scheme which, unlike the Freedom Pass which is funded by London’s borough councils, would be funded directly by Transport for London.

Mr Johnson’s spokesman told MayorWatch the costs wold be met by “diverting from current wasteful backroom spending at TfL” adding “we could fund the veteran’s pass directly by diverting less than 1% of TfL’s total spending on consultants.”