MayorWatch

London News and Comment

TfL announces start date for over 60s Oyster card

-

The new Oyster card will not be as widely accepted as the Freedom Pass
Applications for a new 60+ Oyster card will open later this month, Transport for London and Mayor Boris Johnson have announced.

The Mayor announced plans for the new card in June and has today revealed that passengers would be able to use the card from November 1st.

TfL is seeking to present the introduction of the new Oyster as a fulfilment of the Mayor’s election promise “to extend the Freedom Pass to Londoners aged 60 years or older” after the last Government increased the minimum eligibility age.

However the new card is separate to the Freedom Pass scheme which is operated and majority funded by London’s local authorities via London Councils.

The new Transport for London pass will be accepted on TfL services at all times but holders will only be able to use it on selected national rail services operating within London.

Unlike the Freedom Pass, the new pass will not entitle holders to free bus travel outside the capital.

Once passengers reach the eligibility age for the Freedom Pass, currently 61, they will need to apply to London Councils for a new card.

Applications for the 60+ Oyster card can be made online at www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets and are subject to a £10 charge.

Announcing the scheme’s start date, Mayor Johnson said: “I promised to restore this right to travel for free on the capital’s transport network for every Londoner from their 60th birthday. From November, this will be the case when hundreds of thousands of people will be armed with their 60+ London Oyster card, enjoying all our great city can offer.”

Comments

  1. This is a great initiative to assist people 60 and over. The over 60s Oyster card will help manaage the cost of living, keep them active and help reduce social isolation.

  2. This is very confusing. Do we need 2 cards – Oyster and freedom? What are the differences between the two. They should be combined.

  4. The mayor’s office MUST keep us updated with the development of the new pass facility. It’s no good saying it’s coming, it’s coming, and nothing happening. Some of us are trapped at home waiting for this to be implemented. PLEASE keep us updated.

  5. the eligibilty for my freedom pass is 62 not 61 as listed above this is very confusing.

  6. Clicking on the link above gives NO information on the Over 60s Oyster card. It’s no good spouting off how wonderful Boris is if he is not keeping his promise. No information means it is NOT available!

  7. Why does this stop at Woodford? Think you need to liase with Epping Forest Council to extend,as totally unfair.This should include residents living in areas as far out as Epping after all The Central Line come under TFL.

  8. I searched the Internet to apply for the pass. This is very cofusing, could you please tell me how and where I can apply for the oyster card for over 60s.
    Thank you

  9. Susan Westbrook – I’d imagine it stops at the edge of Greater London, in this case the London borough of Redbridge, as those outside do not vote in the Mayoral elections. If Epping or any other borough wants to be included then I guess they are going to have to pay for it.

  11. please advise when I can apply for 60 plus oyster photocard – have checked internet to date but no application form.

  12. I thought this was all going live mid October and we have passed mid october. Does anyone anywhere have any communication skills at all.

  13. Applications forms.
    Where are they?
    Disappointing performance in lieu of promises made by Mayor.
    Is anyone at home in the Mayors office? Wake up call to all concerned.

    Is it a case of over promising and under delivering.This is not what we have come to expect.
    Watch this space.

  14. I have applied for my 60+ oyster card only to find out now that I cannot use it on the train that I take to work, only after 9.30am. As I start work at 8.30am this doesn’t help me so it seems I will still have to have a pay as you go oyster to cover my train travel of a morning.

    I think it is wrong the way the card has been advertised as people being able to go anywhere at any time in London. Certainly not in South London you can’t.

  16. Very disappointing. I find that I cannot apply for an over 60 oyster card because I have a freedom pass. The freedom pass stipulates that you can only travel on trains after 9.30. The oyster card advertises that you can go on a train in London any time, although from a previous comment I find that this is not so. All this praise for Boris is for nothing as far as I can see.

  18. To Alan Gian, I forgot to mention that the apply on line option on the site you proffered is not recognised by Safari, the Apple browser the suggestion offered by Apple being that it might be a rogue site…sigh.

  19. I applied for mine online at noon on Wednesday 17 October. I had everything ready including digital photo of myself. By 12.10 I was done. It as posted out on Friday 26 and arrived on Monday 20 October – and worked at once; no waiting till 1 November. This is one IT project which has worked.

    It does 95% of what its big brother the Freedom Pass does – you can use it until fourteen days after you could get your FP and you can apply for the FP fourteen days before you could use it. So you get seamless cover.

    Nice one, Boris!

  20. have a freedom pass and I am 72 – you can travel on a freedom pass 24 hours a day 7-days of week. the 9:30 weekdays and any time weekends have lone gone for Freedom pass users.

  21. Madelein, if you were over sixty and had been told to wait for your freedom pass you would think differently! The Boris card gives you everything the FP does except bus travel outside London, and very nice too.

FEATURED