I was raised in Spelthorne and frequently found myself on the verge of becoming a Londoner. I would respond differently depending on my company when asked "where are you from" in college: "London" if it looked feasible, or a resigned "Surrey" if not.
I went to school in Hounslow, West London (or "near Heathrow Airport," as I would say at university), and although though I was from Surrey, I spent some of my childhood years in Feltham, Heston, and Ashford.
I always had an Oyster card; I used the London buses and tubes. I knew to always stand on the right on escalators. These could all be considered hallmarks of a Londoner.
However, once you cross Clockhouse Roundabout on the A30, you forfeit that title (and recently, the ULEZ requirements). This was made abundantly clear by TfL when my peers and I turned 16: a significant year marked by a global pandemic, cancelled GCSEs and school closures.
We all had to apply for new Oyster cards: the 16-18 Oyster Card. Any 16-18 year old can apply for these, or indeed a parent can apply on their behalf, reports MyLondon. If you're a resident of a London borough, this entitles you to free travel on London buses.
However, when I entered my address into the TfL website, it became clear that Ashford, Spelthorne doesn't fall within a London borough. While I was aware of this, what I didn't realise was that this meant I was only eligible for a 50% discount. In other words, I had to pay half the price of a full fare - a fare I hadn't previously had to pay and crucially, a fare that my classmates living just 10 minutes away from me didn't have to pay.
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My classmates enjoyed an additional two years of free travel, simply because they were considered Londoners. We all attended the same West London school and even caught the same bus home.
Yet, despite living only a 20-minute drive from the school, everyone from my area was charged for each commute. To put this into perspective, a bus fare is £1.79 (or 90p with the 50% discount, but of course there's a morning and afternoon commute to consider).
Given that British state schools are required to teach 190 days a year, two years' worth of travel leaves students £680.20 out of pocket - while their peers at the same school aren't charged a penny. This situation perhaps adds fuel to the ongoing debate over Spelthorne's status in relation to London and TfL.
Spelthorne for Zone 6
There have been significant challenges raised regarding Spelthorne's absence from Zone 6, notably by the 'Spelthorne in the Zone' campaign group. This exclusion impacts train fares and complicates ticketing for local residents.
The campaigners point out that while Zone 6 is expanded to include areas like Epping, which are outside the M25, Spelthorne remains excluded despite lying within the motorway's boundaries. The anomaly is particularly unfair in cases such as local school children attending the same schools and using the same bus services but facing different travel costs due to where they live.
It is argued that it's high time for a reassessment of the area's standing or, minimally, acknowledge instances where the zone boundary should not result in such stark contrasts in charges. Currently, some young people are facing disproportionate costs for accessing mandatory full-time education.
A TfL spokesperson said: "Customers who hold an 16+ Oyster photocard are eligible for discounted travel on TfL modes as well as Child-rate 7 Day, Monthly or longer period Travelcard and Bus and Tram Passes. While some London bus routes travel outside of the Greater London area, the free travel on buses and trams benefit offered as part of the 16+ Oyster photocard is only available to those who live within the Greater London area."
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