MEMBERS of the South Yorkshire Freedom Riders (SYFR) celebrated five years of campaigning this week by staging a demonstration outside Barnsley Bus Station and Sheffield Railway Station.
The group started campaigning back in 2014 when the right for elderly and disabled people to travel for free on trains in South and West Yorkshire was taken away. Since being set up, the SYFR campaign has seen the complete reinstatement of free train travel for the disabled and the elderly are now allowed to travel on trains in South Yorkshire for half price.
George Arthur, secretary of SYFR, said: “It is quite amazing to most of us that it is five years since it all started. We are really pleased that the numbers have kept up around the freedom ride campaign. We meet fortnightly and at our last meeting we had 27 people turn up. It just shows the determination people have to win back the return of free open train travel.
“We also applaud Stagecoach for allowing elderly to travel free to hospital appointments before 9.30am and to give half price travel on X10 and X17 services before 9.30am. We are also pleased that South Yorkshire mayor Dan Jarvis has met with us and is looking at a number of issues we raised with him. These include the idea of a Gold Card that could be bought annually to allow free train travel. Our group is made up of people who are determined to campaign for improvements in transport for all.”
More than 60 people joined the group at Sheffield Station to celebrate the campaign. Speakers included Natalie Bennett from the Green Party as well as campaigners from across the region.
