Mayor launches free travel passes for war veterans

A NEW scheme to allow war veterans to travel free on public transport in London was launched today by Boris Johnson.

All veterans who receive a pension under the War Pensions Scheme or are awarded funding under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme are eligible for passes.

More than 1,500 passes have already been issued and veterans are expected to take advantage of the new scheme to travel to the Cenotaph in Whitehall and around the capital for remembrance services on Sunday.

The Mayor marked the introduction of the Veterans Concessionary Travel Scheme with a visit to HMS Illustrious today where he met a group of veterans who have already been issued with their travel passes.

Mr Johnson said: "The men and women who will qualify for this scheme deserve the respect and the gratitude of everyone in the capital. Far too often these heroes have been forgotten on their return to our shores; but here in London we are humbled by the unsung sacrifices of our veterans and there cannot be a more apt time of year than the brink of Remembrance Sunday to remind them of the honour in which they are held.

"Free travel on public transport is the very least that we can offer the veterans and in all honesty their courage and bravery deserves a great deal more."

The passes also apply to war widows and widowers and eligible dependants. They can be used on buses, the London Underground and Overground, trams, the Docklands Light Railway and river services in the capital. The Train Operating Companies have also backed the Mayor's plans and agreed that war veterans will be able to travel free on their services within Greater London.

The National Service of Remembrance is being held at the Cenotaph starting at 10.30am.

Workers are preparing the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey to honour Britain's war dead.

The Royal British Legion field was opened by the Duke of Edinburgh at a service yesterday.

Each year, the Legion establishes fields of remembrance in London and Cardiff.

Trumpeters will sound the Last Post from the parapet of nearby St Margaret's Church, before a two-minute silence observed at the service.