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inner london free travel for people at 60

(20 Posts)
feetlebaum Tue 28-May-13 19:52:28

I wondered about a bus pass - but i don't think the bus goes any
where I want to go... Anyhway, I went to the place the deals with it, and couldn't find anywhere to park nearby - so I went home again...

Sad, really...

grumppa Tue 28-May-13 19:14:08

I tend to think in terms of going up "to town" when I head in from my suburb.

grumppa Tue 28-May-13 19:12:10

I can't speak for BrianL, but Greater London is so big that there must be plenty of people in the outer suburbs who have a Freedom Pass and still think in terms of visiting London when they travel to the centre.

vegasmags Tue 28-May-13 18:30:31

I thought he meant the Freedom pass or the 60+ oyster card - perhaps he will come back on and enlighten us!

gracesmum Tue 28-May-13 18:26:33

Perhaps Brian is talking about his bus pass? We got ours at 60 but as we don't live in London it is just that - a bus pass - so whenever possible I use the bus rather than the underground when visiting London.

vegasmags Tue 28-May-13 18:15:16

BrianL - I don't quite understand your point (probably missing the obvious, as I often do) as I thought you had to live in London to qualify, so I don't quite see how that ties in with your saying that thanks to the pass, you visit London more often. confused

BrianL Tue 28-May-13 17:24:07

I was lucky enough to get mine when I turned 60 but not long after the rules changed and my wife had to wait until she was 61+

Sorry to oldposseum12 and any others who don't like this but it is a huge bonus to be able to travel around London free which makes me visit that great city more often.

Grannyknot Sat 20-Apr-13 18:10:17

tanith it's made him v happy, whistling away now as he sweeps the patio smile

tanith Sat 20-Apr-13 16:55:50

Thanks for that Riverwalk I must of read it wrong... Grannyknot I guess 2yrs early is a resultgrin

Grannyknot Sat 20-Apr-13 15:34:03

Thanks for that info River; and Tanith he is one of the unlucky ones affected by this: A change in legislation means that if you were born on or after 6 April 1950 and 5 April 1955, you will no longer be eligible on your 60th birthday. He is eligible from that calculator in 2016, so at least that will cheer him up - he'll be 63.

Riverwalk Sat 20-Apr-13 15:26:53

Whilst waiting for his Freedom Pass he is entitled at age 60 to the 60+ Oyster Card which gives free travel on tubes, buses, etc. in London only, not outside London which the Freedom Pass does.

It's the next best thing! Unfortunately I don't get this for another two years.

www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/25830.aspx

tanith Sat 20-Apr-13 15:04:10

Grannyknot he doesn't have to wait , my husband got his at 2mths after his 60th birthday. He would become eligible at the same age as a woman which of course is rising over the next 5yrs but he should still get it before 65 . Take look here there is a calculator to work it out..
http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/freedompass/eligibility/

Grannyknot Sat 20-Apr-13 14:10:51

My husband was very upset because I got my (London) Freedom Pass at 60 and he has to wait till 65. That seems unfair and discriminatory too.

tanith Fri 19-Apr-13 22:45:42

The London Boroughs pay for their over 60's to receive the Freedom Pass which I assume comes out of our Council Tax contributions for which we pay mightily.
Maybe lobbying your local Councils to rethink their strategy, its hardly the fault of those of us that qualify. We consider ourselves very lucky . Of course our Freedom Passes give us free tube travel too. We use ours frequently to have a day out or traveling to hospitals.

glammanana Fri 19-Apr-13 22:25:09

We get free travel on Buses Trains/Ferries here on The Wirral at 60,the first day I got mine I went all over and was delighted with my free day out.grin

oldposseum12 Fri 19-Apr-13 18:08:26

we are all one country the same rules should apply to everyone

oldposseum12 Fri 19-Apr-13 18:06:17

we should all write to our MPs to complain of this situation its one rule for them and another for us

absent Fri 19-Apr-13 18:03:46

Outside London it is a national concession. Inside London the cost is carried by the London Assembly, I think.

oldposseum12 Fri 19-Apr-13 18:02:26

The 60+ oyster card gives people who live in London preferential treatment over people outside London. We all pay the same income tax why should people have to wait till 65 and Londoners can travel in their town at 60 for nothing

oldposseum12 Fri 19-Apr-13 17:54:11

why can the people who live in London receive free travel in London and yet the people outside have to wait till 65, this is grossly unfair