Almost all of us will have travelled to and across London with a Day Travelcard safely in our pocket.

The Day Travelcard enables those of us travelling from Crawley, Ifield, Three Bridges and Gatwick Airport stations to have unlimited travel around London on public transport.

We can jump on a train to Victoria or London Bridge for example, then get the Tube or bus without having to worry about an additional ticket.

This could all come to an end next year, however, thanks to the latest controversial idea from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

On 21st July, the Government was notified that the Mayor of London plans to withdraw the Day Travelcard.

In the latest example of how the actions of the Mayor of London can have severe consequences beyond the boundaries of the city, this news will have a significant impact on all rail passengers from Crawley, Ifield, Three Bridges and Gatwick Airport stations.

The decision of the Mayor will turn people away from travelling to London and beyond, and hit the poorest families hardest.

It beggars belief that London’s own mayor is making it harder and expensive for us to visit our nation’s capital city.

This is where we can play our part.

In their statement, Transport for London confirm that the Mayor has given six months’ notice of the withdrawal of the Day Travelcard. This states that ‘While this six-month process is now underway, it is important that we are clear this remains reversible and does not therefore mean that Day Travelcards will be withdrawn.’

I have launched a petition calling for the Day Travelcard to be saved and I will share this with the Mayor of London. I am encouraging Crawley rail users to sign so we can let the Mayor of London know the strength of feeling against his latest proposals.

I continue to call for the Oyster zone to be extended south to include Three Bridges, Crawley and Ifield train stations.

There has been significant opposition to the impacts of the Mayor of London’s decisions on people in Crawley. It was hard-working Crawley Conservative Councillors who put forward a Crawley Borough Council motion earlier this year to oppose the Mayor’s controversial Ultra-Low Emission Zone expansion. Unsurprisingly the Labour-majority Borough Council used a ‘wrecking amendment’ against the motion.

The abolition of the Day Travelcard will provide a further blow from the London Mayor to people outside of the city.

To sign my petition to the Mayor of London and join me in calling on him to keep Day Travelcards available from Crawley, Gatwick Airport, Ifield and Three Bridges stations, please visit: www.henrysmith.info/savethedaytravelcard

Henry Smith MP