I HAVE just read in astonishment the letter sent into you by Ruqayyah Mehmud (Letters, May 29: 'Don't criminalise all us teenagers').

He maintains that free travel on London buses is his entitlement as he is under 18 years old. This is of course incorrect; the only people who are, according to Transport for London conditions of carriage, are children under the age of 11.

Everyone else must have a ticket or Oyster card.

Students under the age of 18 are eligible for free travel if they have the appropriate Oyster card with them. If they do not then of course they must pay full adult fare. Failure to do this is a criminal offence.

Mr Mehmud has unfortunately brought a very sad point to the fore in his letter, and that is that people feel they are entitled to things like free travel, when they have failed to recognise is that these are privileges and can be withdrawn at any time if misused.

MARTIN SHERRY by e-mail