Captain Sir Tom Moore Gets Discount Fare Card
The British government has provided a World War II veteran with the first available rail card, as part of a planned program to increase British veterans’ benefits.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-54526866
From the article: Captain Sir Tom Moore has been presented with the first new discount railcard for military veterans.
The card allows some 830,000 veterans not eligible for existing railcards to get a discount off fares.
At his Bedfordshire home, Sir Tom, who served in World War Two, was presented with the card by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.
The veteran raised almost £33m for NHS charities by walking laps of his garden before his 100th birthday in April.
Sir Tom said: “This is a wonderful occasion to accept the first veterans’ railcard.
“It is a rare opportunity to show thanks and gratitude to veterans and this railcard is a necessary recognition and investment in veterans,” he added.
Mr Shapps said he was “delighted” to present Sir Tom with the scheme’s first card. – article
The amount of the veterans’ discount is a third off the standard railfare costs. That can be quite a savings if you have to travel a lot, and right now, anything that drops the cost of something is welcome.
Sir Tom was knighted by the Queen back in July in a private ceremony at Windsor Castle. He is one tough bird.
Category: Bravo Zulu
Am glad that the Brit Govt got on the right track and did a raily nice thing to help out their Mil Vet strap hangers with the discounted rail cards.
Word.
You mean the grubmint actually did something for a British Citizen that helped save the world from a scourge of evil? The discount is nice and all that, but they could have gone a step further and just gave the Vets the Pass. How much are they spending on all of the imported immigrants? Just asking for a friend.
BZ Captain Tom! SALUTE!
You do know that’s in England, right?
They’ve been a bit slow giving vets any benefits at all, which is why I posted that.
Yes’um, I do. I won’t say too little, too late, but the thought does cross my mind. Seems as if the “Tommys” got forgotten by the grubmint AND the “citizens.” Sure is not like it was when the average British Citizen launched everything that could float to rescue their boys at Dunkirk.
Awww. Brings back some very fond memories of riding the rails of Britain back in the days when tourists could purchase a Brit Rail pass for a fairly nominal fee then just board any train going anywhere for the duration.
Discounted travel by rail for veterans? Sure. Why not? It won’t really cost much.
I was over there just after the Falkland Islands War. Time of my life.
That card is a pretty useful thing. I rented a car to get from Prestwick to Edinburgh, but really had no need for one after that save one time over 28 days(plus I was nervous as hell driving). I had a 30 day rail pass that put me within 500 yards of anywhere I wanted to be. I would imagine at least that hasn’t changed.
Those guys and gals that are left have to be shaking their heads at the world they live in now.