Poorer children 'may not be able to afford lunch' if under-18 free travel is scrapped, says campaigner

Tap above to watch interview with Olivia Faria

Poorer children may not be able to afford the basics "including buying lunch" if free travel for under-18s is scrapped in London, according to a Croydon campaigner.

Olivia Faria wants the government to rethink its decision to suspend free travel which came as a condition of the £1.6bn Transport for London Covid bailout package.

Speaking to ITV News, Olivia said "everyone deserves an education". More than 150,000 people have signed her online petition.

Transport for London was given a £1.6bn interim bailout in May after lockdown dealt a hammer blow to its income from fares. 

Transport bosses calculate a further £2bn is needed to keep the organisation afloat until the end of March 2022 and £2.9bn in the following financial year.

Read more: Transport for London to request further billion pound bailout