Free bus pass under threat?

andyrules

EdInvestor wrote: »

Most car owners I know don't use buses very often because they are not located near convenient bus routes (hint: that's why they have cars).

Have to agree that there will be a big backlash if it is dropped.

It's quite amusing to note that all the mothers with buggies and small children on the buses feel perfectly entited to occupy as many seats as they wish, at the expense of the pensioners, because they have paid for their tickets and the pensioners haven't ( the Government has paid for the pensioners' seats of course, they are not actually free).

Methinks this a ploy by councils to extract more subsidy from central Govt.It is true that the move impacts variably on different areas, as some have very high pensioner populations.On the other hand it's very positive for the economy in a recession to get the pensioners out and about spending their money (including the money they saved on the bus fare!)

Exactly, and it's also a good idea to keep pensioners out and about, mobile and independent for as long as possible.

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

What a sad attitude, would you prefer that pensioners sit and stare at four walls daily? That day will come soon enough for many, bus pass or not.

Roger1

scotsbob wrote: »

No benefits are denied to you. There is nothing to stop the UK Parliament introducing them in the same way as the Scottish government introduced them.

'UK Parliament' and 'Scottish government' - see any discrepancy?
Education at Scottish universities is free to the student. :T Free that is to all students from anywhere, except from England and Wales. France, fine. Germany, fine. England, where's your cheque book? No, I don't get it, either.

Yes I remember what you refer to as the Barnett Formula, it's known as the Barnett Squeeze in Scotland

Whatever you choose to call it locally, the Barnett Formula was intended as a temporary measure in the late 1970s to right perceived wrongs in public expenditure. Scotland benefited, as did NI and Wales. Temporary has become permanent with the result that benefits per head paid from UK taxation are greater in Scotland than in England.

And guess who's paying. You said:

The English invest money in domes, wheels and Olympics.

While that was probably just a flippant remark, and IIRC the London Eye was private investment, the fact is that the English, especially those in the South East, fund disportionately.

Enjoy.

And I think my concessionary travel pass is great. I can use it all over England. And Wales. Just not Scotland.

LittleVoice

Roger1 wrote: »

And I think my concessionary travel pass is great. I can use it all over England. And Wales. Just not Scotland.

Have things changed? Thought each pass was restricted to one country.

Doc_N

Has anybody else received a phone call recently from a firm of researchers acting for the Department for Transport and asking detailed questions about bus pass usage?

It was a genuine survey, and the questions were aimed at establishing the usage of the pass. Where was it used, how often, what type of journey etc etc.

Phone numbers supposedly chosen at random from within various local authority areas, and the first question was whether anyone in the household held a National Bus Pass.

I wonder what the exact purpose of the survey is - particularly as one of the questions (which I didn't anwer) related to the income of the bus pass holder!

scotsbob

Roger1 wrote: »

And I think my concessionary travel pass is great. I can use it all over England. And Wales. Just not Scotland.

And I can't use my Scottish bus pass in England, despite paying taxes to the UK government.

pollypenny

Likewise, the Welsh bus pass can be used in Wales or for journeys which begin in Wales.

It cannot be used on National Express.

sunshinejoclaire

We have had the free pensioner passes in Co Durham for a number of years. Prior to the scheme going national, the passes could only be used after 9:30am unless accompanied by a hospital note. Since going national they can be used at any time.

Now the fact they can be used before 9:30 poses a problem on the very well used bus route I travel on everyday which is used by a lot of workers and children going to school. This bus route has always been really busy - often missing out stops because there is too many people on the bus. Since the passes have been able to be used pre 9:30, a lot of pass holders now use the bus also.. meaning the after mentioned problem has got worse.

I have no problem with the passes in general - in fact I think they are a good idea, but it would be so nice if they went back to after 9:30 - everyone was happy then

As an aside - I don't knwo why pass holders would want to travel at that time if they don't have to. I know I wouldn't - its hell on earth lol

Comyface

sunshinejoclaire wrote: »

We have had the free pensioner passes in Co Durham for a number of years. Prior to the scheme going national, the passes could only be used after 9:30am unless accompanied by a hospital note. Since going national they can be used at any time.

We have had them in Merseyside ever since I can remember, sound similar to the Co Durham ones, could only be used after 9.30am. I've still got my Grandad's old one as a keepsake!

I didn't know the new ones could be used at any time, but we always called the people who used them 'twirlys'. Because you'd hear them at 9.29am (or earlier) saying to the driver 'I'm a twirly' (or asking him 'Am I too early?' lol):D

dzug1

Comyface wrote: »

I didn't know the new ones could be used at any time,

They can't everywhere - it depends what the arrangements in the local area are.

sammyjammy

In Sheffield they can only be used after 9.30am