"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.