Better Transport For Young People

Conference notes with concern:

1. The increasing price of public transport, which can disproportionately affect those in education.
2. That the cost of living in London is already significantly greater than in many areas of the UK, and that this disproportionately affects young people in education.
3. Those who live in areas with less transport options such as the Tube or Rail have more limited options when choosing where to study or train post-16, as they are not able to travel to the variety of institutions London has to offer, including specialist and vocational offerings.
4. The cyberattack on TfL has left people unable to renew photo Oyster cards, with those older than 16 and children who have lost their oysters being left to pay full price until the system is restored.
5. That this cyber attack has priced young people out of receiving the education that they deserve

Conference believes:

i) Young people should be financially supported in terms of transport in order to help and support them to study in London, and that there should be no financial barrier due to transport preventing young people from deprived backgrounds from studying in London.

ii) Young people in full-time education shouldn’t be expected to work a job alongside their post-GCSE level studies, and provisions should be made to ensure that they are able to go to school, sixth form or college and focus on their studies without the worry of transport costs.

iii) Young people should always be able to travel to school, college or sixth form, freely on buses, protected from the effects of cyberattacks or administrative incompetence.

iv) It should be an aim to ensure that public transport becomes the preferred travel choice for all children going to school when active travel is not practical or feasible, and that our public transport network is safe and affordable enough to ensure all children can go to school.

v) The lack of public transport in certain areas means that the car is the only practical option for students to get to school, sixth form or college.

vi) Cheaper prices would encourage young people to take public transportation instead of being driven or driving.

Conference calls for:

1. The extension of the 95p oyster rail fare, which currently applies to children aged 11-15 years old, to 16+ ZIP oyster card users, or a suitable substitute fee system which would be agreed upon with Transport For London (TFL) and the Greater London Authority (GLA).
2. TFL to pursue the goal of making public transport in London safer and more affordable for everyone, especially those who may not be in the position to pay for it normally, by consulting London youth groups who have deep connections in the community.
3. TFL to explore options to ensure that those entitled to free and discounted transport receive said discounts that they are entitled to including both a refund scheme and enabling schools, colleges sixth forms to issue temporary oyster cards. 
4. The extension of train routes throughout London, including but not limited to:
5. The extension of the Bakerloo Line towards Lewisham, with the possibility to extend to Hayes in the future.
6. An extension of DLR to Beam Park via Barking Riverside and Dagenham Dock, joining heavily redeveloped areas with many new houses and customers to the wider London rail network.
7. An extension of DLR to Thameshead from Woolwich.

Amendement One

Proposed by Enfield Liberal Democrats.

In point (2) of the first section, add ‘and carers and/or parents with young children’ at the end of the sentence.

Under ‘Conference Calls for’, add additional points at the end of the proposals:

8. The introduction of free travel on TfL controlled services for parents accompanying children up to the age of 3, as is offered on the Prague public transport network;

9. The introduction of discounted travel on TfL controlled services for individuals in receipt of Carers’ Allowance;

10. TfL to produce plans for improving the reliability of the ‘Superloop’ orbital bus network, such as bus priority signals at critical junctions; and long term plans to develop the ‘Superloop’ network into a genuine orbital transport network including solutions such as guided buses, trams or ultra-light rail.