Citizen Magazine

Short walk to freedom

It's Freedom Pass renewal time and the Mayor of Barking and Dagenham has wasted no time signing up for free bus, tube, Docklands Light Railway and tram travel in London for the next 2 years.

Councillor Fred Barns, pictured with his wife Phyllis, is one of the first people in the borough to get a new pass.

But it's nothing to do with him using his position to jump the queue as the renewals take place in alphabetical order!

People with surnames starting with A, B or C get the chance to renew this week and others follow at regular intervals until the end of March - full details are listed below. Anyone unable to register during their specific week will get another chance at the end of the renewal process.

The Freedom Pass, run on behalf of London Councils, is the country's most comprehensive free travel scheme.

People renewing their Freedom Pass now also become eligible for a new national scheme giving free bus travel to all over-60s from 1 April.

The renewal timetable is as follows:

Surnames A to C - 4 to 9 February
Surnames D to F - 11 to 16 February
Surnames G to J - 18 to 23 February
Surnames K to M - 25 February to 1 March
Surnames N to P - 3 to 8 March
Surnames Q to T - 10 to 15 March
Surnames U to Z - 17 to 20 March
Anyone who has missed their week - 25 to 29 March
Anyone who has missed their week - 31 March (Seabrook Hall, Barking Learning Centre and Chadwell Heath only)

You can renew at any one of a number of venues in the borough, including Barking Learning Centre, which is open from Monday to Saturday between 10am - 2pm.

The following additional venues will also open between 10am - 2pm:

Monday

Seabrook Hall, Wood Lane, Dagenham

Chadwell Heath Centre, High Road, Chadwell Heath

Tuesday

Castle Green Community Centre, Jo Richardson School, Gale Street

Rush Green Centre, 231 Dagenham Road

Wednesday

Wantz Centre, Rainham Road North, Dagenham

Park Centre, Rectory Road, Dagenham

Thursday

Marks Gate Community Centre, Rose Lane

There is a late Wednesday opening at the Civic Centre foyer, Dagenham, from 5pm - 8pm.

For further details please contact Mobility Services on 020 8227 2334.

Tuesday 5 February 2008.

The Mayor and Mayoress collecting their freedom passes

Contact

Stephen Ducker

Corporate Editor

Marketing and Communications

Civic Centre

Rainham Road North

Dagenham

RM10 7BN

Tel: 020 8724 8272

Fax: 020 8227 2112

Textphone: 020 8227 2685

Email: stephen.ducker@lbbd.gov.uk or citizen@lbbd.gov.uk|