"Sunil Sood" wrote in message
...

My father's old Freedom Pass has just been renewed/replaced by a new style
'smartcard'.

Its appears to be effectively a specially designed Oyster card but none of
the documentation/notes that come with it make any reference to "Oyster"
at
all - only to the new "'smartcard' freedom pass"

As such, does anyone know if these new Freedom Passes can be loaded with
Pre
Pay? ( I haven't been able to get my hands on it yet to try loading
anything
myself!)

If it is possible to use Pre-Pay with a Freedom Pass card - it seems a
"slight" oversight not to mention it - not all journeys over 60's make is
after 9 AM.!

Also, I note that the Freedom Pass is now valid for two years (until 31st
March 2006) - am I correct in thinking that in the past they were only
valid
for one year?

Regards
Sunil



The new Freedom pass does not have the pre-pay facility. As you say some
people travel before 09.00 so it would be helpful for this to be enabled. I
would suggest requesting this but who from I do not know maybe oyster
helpline or maybe the local authority who issued it.

As it is a smatcard they can be made valid for however long. In the past
there were a lot of illegally used freedom passes and very little chance of
stopping them. This system means that as soon as a card is lost or stolen it
can be stopped from working the gates.

Finally if you want your Father to have free travel all the time ask for a
disabled freedom pass.

"Anon" wrote in message
...

"Sunil Sood" wrote in message
...

My father's old Freedom Pass has just been renewed/replaced by a new
style
'smartcard'.

Its appears to be effectively a specially designed Oyster card but none
of
the documentation/notes that come with it make any reference to "Oyster"
at
all - only to the new "'smartcard' freedom pass"

As such, does anyone know if these new Freedom Passes can be loaded with
Pre
Pay? ( I haven't been able to get my hands on it yet to try loading
anything
myself!)

If it is possible to use Pre-Pay with a Freedom Pass card - it seems a
"slight" oversight not to mention it - not all journeys over 60's make
is
after 9 AM.!

Also, I note that the Freedom Pass is now valid for two years (until
31st
March 2006) - am I correct in thinking that in the past they were only
valid
for one year?

Regards
Sunil



The new Freedom pass does not have the pre-pay facility. As you say some
people travel before 09.00 so it would be helpful for this to be enabled.
I
would suggest requesting this but who from I do not know maybe oyster
helpline or maybe the local authority who issued it.

As it is a smatcard they can be made valid for however long. In the past
there were a lot of illegally used freedom passes and very little chance
of
stopping them. This system means that as soon as a card is lost or stolen
it
can be stopped from working the gates.

Finally if you want your Father to have free travel all the time ask for a
disabled freedom pass.



Except on NR where a disabled freedom pass is only valid after 09.30 for
some reason.

"Anon" wrote in message
...
The new Freedom pass does not have the pre-pay facility. As you say some
people travel before 09.00 so it would be helpful for this to be enabled.
I
would suggest requesting this but who from I do not know maybe oyster
helpline or maybe the local authority who issued it.

Thanks, I will try and give it a go - not holding out much hope but it does
seem sensible to enable pre-pay on Freedom Passes

As it is a smatcard they can be made valid for however long. In the past
there were a lot of illegally used freedom passes and very little chance
of
stopping them. This system means that as soon as a card is lost or stolen
it
can be stopped from working the gates.

Finally if you want your Father to have free travel all the time ask for a
disabled freedom pass.

I can't seem to find the criteria that "entitles" one to a disabled freedom
pass?

Do you know if its online somewhere (or do they just give it to anyone who
asks!)?

Though, I can see my father disagreeing with this course of action as I
imagine he doesn't think of himself as disabled and would therefore object
on principle applying for such a card, as he woudnt believe he was
entitled to it (unless the criteria that I can't find say...)

Regards
Sunil

In article ,
Sunil Sood wrote:
Finally if you want your Father to have free travel all the time ask for a
disabled freedom pass.

I can't seem to find the criteria that "entitles" one to a disabled freedom
pass?

It's automatic if you're on the highest rate of the mobility component
of DLA, or if you're registered blind.

Do you know if its online somewhere (or do they just give it to anyone who
asks!)?

See http://freedompass.org/


--
You dont have to be illiterate to use the Internet, but it help's.

"Mike Bristow" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Sunil Sood wrote:
Finally if you want your Father to have free travel all the time
ask for a
disabled freedom pass.

I can't seem to find the criteria that "entitles" one to a
disabled freedom
pass?

It's automatic if you're on the highest rate of the mobility
component
of DLA, or if you're registered blind.

Or profoundly deaf. With the latter, speaking about Bromley council,
they demand a new NHS hearing test every year. The medicos tend to
think that is a waste of their time and money and naturally reluctant
to retest the hearing of someone who has always been totally deaf.
Maybe Bromley council believe in miracles. Maybe they think everyone
is queuing for cochlear implants, either way they seem intent on
adding to the misery and expense of deaf people. They demand new
photos for the deaf each year too and never ever respond to letters of
enquiry.

N.B. Bromley is one of the councils that opts out of the standard
Freedom Pass administrative arrangements and does it all themselves.
--
Malcolm

"Sunil Sood" typed



"Anon" wrote in message
...


I can't seem to find the criteria that "entitles" one to a disabled freedom
pass?

I got hard copies from my Local Authority (LB Brent) a while back. I was
not eligible as I could walk 50 metres. If I couldn't, I'd never get to
a bus stop.

The rules might vary from LA to LA.

--
Helen D. Vecht:
Edgware.