The Freedom Rider Rebels of Barnsley !

[joe_bloggs*]

Last month Yorkshire pensioner Tony Nuttall was arrested during a protest against cuts to free train travel for older and disabled people after deliberately boarding a train without paying. Here he explains how he ended up being charged with obstructing police officers and "travel fraud" - and how the Freedom Riders have gathered support from around the country

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/the-northerner/2014/jul/04/arrested-freedom-rider-tony-nuttall-wr...

Good on them!

[saasher2012]

Perhaps this government should listen to these peoples complaints instead of punishing them for standing up for what I believe they worked for all their lives unlike a lot of people today who are cashing in on these pensioners lifetimes hard work .

[evoman3957]

Hardly a good example, to the next generation, wanting to take things away from those who have spent a lifetime giving; so you can support the takers of this World. They will get the message, sooner or later, that you don't get any Brownie Points in this World; for being Mr. Nice Guy.

[joe_bloggs*]

Theres a video of 66 year old Tony Nuttal being "restrained" by police

[saasher2012]

I could see they were trying to be careful but even so four coppers! Disgusting!!.
The poor guy was obviously not struggling or even swearing, very much overkill on the cops side & very unnecessary restraint , god forbid if he'd had , had a heart attack because of it!.

[upthecreekyetagain]

Ridiculous protest - what did they expect?

It wasn't the rail company that withdrew the free travel it was the council.  Protest on council property by all means, don't commit an offence by travelling without a ticket!

[bankhaunter]

Free rail travel, they were doing well, all I can get is a senior railcard and that costs £20.

Admittedly I get a free bus bus with no restrictions for when I can travel but restrictions wouldn't work very well on routes that only saw three buses a day or even some that only have the school bus.

[paul4757]

Free bus passes also allow free train travel as well don't they?

They do for my mum and dad

[upthecreekyetagain]

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@paul4757 wrote:

Free bus passes also allow free train travel as well don't they?

They do for my mum and dad

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Not in Surrey

[bankhaunter]

Nor in Ceredigion.

[paul4757]

I am really shocked at this as I thought it would be the same throughout the country

[paul4757]

Here's a link to th relevant page and a quote:

http://tfgm.com/journey_planning/Tickets/Pages/tickets_low_fares_over60.aspx

How much will I have to pay to travel on trains and Metrolink trams in Greater Manchester?
With your NCTP, you can travel for free between 9.30am and midnight Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays. At all other times you pay the full adult fare.

Your pass is valid for free standard class travel (after 9.30am) or full-price (before 9.30am) fare travel only for journeys which begin and end within the Greater Manchester rail boundary. If you have a train ticket from any station within the rail boundary to Manchester, or if your journey involves changing at a train station in Manchester, you can travel free on Metrolink trams in the City Zone (Victoria, Deansgate, Castlefield - New Islington, and all the stops in between). For other journeys before 9.30am Monday to Friday, which include travelling on trains and Metrolink trams, you will have to buy separate tickets for each.

You cannot use your pass on trains outside Greater Manchester.

[joe_bloggs*]

The Freedom Riders did lobby the council,but to no avail,there only alternative was direct action,Just days after their latest protest

"Coun Sir Steve Houghton, leader of Barnsley Council, confirmed that plans to reinstate all free travel for disabled people and offer half price train travel to pensioners from 9.30am would be put to a transport chiefs’ meeting on May 19."

He went on to state that: "I do want to stress this is not a result of people who have been breaking the law."

Of course Steve,of course

[bankhaunter]

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@paul4757 wrote:

I am really shocked at this as I thought it would be the same throughout the country

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I can't speak for anywhere else but my local trains are far too crowded most of the time to have more passengers travelling for free.