CharlesPottins wrote:
My nice exciting state of the art plastic card Freedom Pass which I
picked up on third attempt earlier this year has somehow lost its
magnetism. After a sort of flickering half-life which meant
pressing it on to the barrier reader differently, or moving on to
the next barrier, or asking the LT staff to let you out, it has
finally given up the ghost. Anybody else have trouble, or know how
common this is?
Anyway, acting on repeated urgings from station staff and bus crew,
I took it into the High Street post office this AM to get it
changed, but the young lady on the counter, after consulting
seniors, said that I'd have to apply for a new one, and gave me the
application form.
I went back to the Post Office this afternoon with the completed
form, the old pass, and assorted documents to identify myself and
prove my residence. On the form I had ticked the box marked
"Faulty" to explain why I wanted a new card. After checking my
documents, and ticking the appropriate bits on the form, the clerk
asked me for two passport-size photographs. I pointed out that I
only wanted my plastic oyster card replaced and there was no
problem with the photo ID card, but the person was adamant -
telling me she needed a photo to put on the application form as
well as one for the card. She suggested I go up to Woolworths up
the road and get the new pix.

I wonder how many pensioners trying to renew their Freedom Passes this
year have been inconvenienced by that nonsense. I should try another
Post Office if I were you, and complain in writing to the manager
(postmaster?) of the incompetent one.

I'm not aware of such problems round here (Chiswick), or of problems
with the passes themselves, apart from the occasional non-working
reader, generally on buses.

--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)