Dear LPG, 

It has been a while since I got on a bus or a train. I don't do it that often because I am one of those pensioners with a car. These days, I don’t go much further than the shops and to visit a few friends, and I feel lucky to still be able to drive.

I had an appointment at the hospital, and anyone who drives knows how expensive it can be to park a car in one of their car parks. So, I found myself on a bus, and I used my Freedom Pass for the first time in quite a long while. As I put it away, I happened to notice that my Freedom Pass was about to expire.

With only three weeks to go, I had a bit of a panic attack because although I usually drive when I go anywhere and though I don’t visit them often, there are now quite a few places where it makes more sense to walk however slowly your legs are going to get you there, and despite all the pain that I never used to feel when taking longer walks even a few years ago.

I panicked, and as soon as I was home again, I thought that I should get on the phone. I phoned the Freedom Pass people on 0300 330 1433, and as always, there was a recording and options. When I got to the option of renewing the pass, the recording informed me that they were automatically sent out.

Another thing that I don’t do as often as I should is open my mail. While waiting for the promised advisor, I decided to put my letter knife to good use, and yes, you have guessed it. My new Freedom Pass had arrived and been ignored for too long.

But while I was listening to the recording, one detail attracted my attention. The replacement pass should automatically arrive in February or March before it expires, provided you have informed the authorities of any change of address and used it at least once during the two years before its expiry date. 

That got me thinking about what happens if you don’t often use your ID and then, when you need it, you realise that yours is well and truly out of date. It is worth noting that a Freedom Pass can sometimes be used for ID, even if you don’t travel.  

So, I hung on and put the question to an advisor, who told me that I might have to prove that I am who I am, with all the ID checks having to be done all over again, but as long as you are eligible, I would not lose the right to have one.   

I know a couple of people who always use Dial a Ride or a Cab to get about, but even my car has, on the odd occasion, been known to have gone wrong, and it is comforting to know that your Freedom Pass is in your pocket just in case…

Having written all this down, could I remind those readers who are eligible but hardly ever use theirs to take a look at the expiry date, make a telephone call if necessary, and get on a bus, albeit just once each summer?  

CE, Ladywell.