Free bus pass under threat?

[Deleted User]

McKneff wrote: »

In what way do you reckon bus passes are being abused.
If you are over 60 you are entitled to a pass, you can use it 50 times a day if you wish. It is not being abused - if its your entitlement to have one.

Complete rubbish and you know it. Thay ARE being abused by some. We have all come across oaps who go three times a week to lovely seaside resorts for the day and the other days they do their shopping etc. The bus pass is meant to help with costs for shopping, dentist visits etc. I would say keep it but restrict it to three uses a week

Re entitlement, well I fall through that psychological net as I have never stretched my entitlement on the backs of others. We have certainly become a nation of take, take take

Re wales: yes we are definitely keeping bus passes and they are swiped

scotsbob

EdInvestor wrote: »

I can see you don't know very many young pensioners.

That's a very cryptic comment. How can you see that? Do you know how old me and my partner are?

dzug1

sanfly wrote: »

I'm sure a lot of the cost of this scheme is being fiddle by the bus companies, I know several pensioners who use the bus pass and sometimes they are never given a ticket and sometimes the driver will have printed out a whole load of tickets and just hand them out as people show their pass, at the end of the journey who is to know that 30 bus pass holders travelled to the end at £5 each or got off at stop one at £1 each.The bus pass should be swipable just like a bank card then there could be no fiddling.

Like most things with this government there is no financial control at point of service, on second thoughts no control anywhere.

Depends on the contract with the bus company. Many get paid a set amount per journey, regardless of distance.

Doc_N

McKneff wrote: »

In what way do you reckon bus passes are being abused.
If you are over 60 you are entitled to a pass, you can use it 50 times a day if you wish. It is not being abused - if its your entitlement to have one.

kittie wrote: »

Complete rubbish and you know it. Thay ARE being abused by some. We have all come across oaps who go three times a week to lovely seaside resorts for the day and the other days they do their shopping etc. The bus pass is meant to help with costs for shopping, dentist visits etc. I would say keep it but restrict it to three uses a week

Re entitlement, well I fall through that psychological net as I have never stretched my entitlement on the backs of others. We have certainly become a nation of take, take take

Re wales: yes we are definitely keeping bus passes and they are swiped

Sorry, Kittie, but I'm afraid you're the one talking the complete rubbish. There is an absolute entitlement to use the pass wherever, whenever and however often you like within the limits of the scheme. YOU might like to think that it was only intended to be used for "shopping, dentist visits etc" but that's only your personal view - the government obviously thought otherwise.

EdInvestor

scotsbob wrote: »

That's a very cryptic comment. How can you see that?

Of the (many) young female pensioners I know, not a single one has white hair.I'd say white hair kicks in some time around aged 75.

carlislelass

why don`t we all take a pill at 60 and please the moaners?????

Farway

Biggles wrote: »

Some fall on stony ground.....

History repeating itself? Leopard & spots spring to mind

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=489424&in_page_id=2&ct=5

"Senior Tories have left the door open to major tax rises, refusing to rule out an increase in VAT to 20%."

McKneff

kittie wrote: »

Complete rubbish and you know it. Thay ARE being abused by some. We have all come across oaps who go three times a week to lovely seaside resorts for the day and the other days they do their shopping etc. The bus pass is meant to help with costs for shopping, dentist visits etc. I would say keep it but restrict it to three uses a week

Re entitlement, well I fall through that psychological net as I have never stretched my entitlement on the backs of others. We have certainly become a nation of take, take take

Re wales: yes we are definitely keeping bus passes and they are swiped

Its you who is talking garbage, as i said if they have a bus pass they can use it 50 times a day. This is not rubbish and you know it. I think theres more to your attitude than you are saying. For gods sake these people have paid their taxes for 50 years or so. Some of their pensions have been decimated by the goverment. We give them a poverty level state pension and you moan about it a few free rides on a bus. Shame on you.
Point me to where it says anywhere that it is only for use for shopping, dentists etc. and i promise I will not apply for my bus pass when the time comes.

As far as your take take take comment goes, i agree with it up to a point.
But dont point the finger solely at the over 60's. Its mostly other side of 60 people who want it all and want it now.

McKneff

EdInvestor wrote: »

Of the (many) young female pensioners I know, not a single one has white hair.I'd say white hair kicks in some time around aged 75.

thanks ed, i wouldn't know what colour mine is, i havent seen it in its natural state for years thanks to the Old clairol Loving Care:rotfl:

kathyr_2

I would like to add the following thoughts for your consideration:
I am 63 years old, I do not drive and I live in a small country village and so I rely upon buses to travel to the nearest towns - 10 mins one way or 20 mins the other. I make full use of my bus pass sand am grateful for it. It is the only 'benefit' I receive and one which I never take for granted. If this concession were to be means tested, I would probably lose it, not because I am RICH, but because I have a small private pension which takesw me out of the tax credit scheme. I believe that there are many people in the same boat.
I think it a great pity that any group feels hard done , or that they are being treated unfairly. I feel that we should all try to remember that each of us has our own problems, and so maybe we should try to cultivate tolerance and understanding.