Please Stop Using Bus Passes - Transport Secretary

Mr_Oink

Katykat wrote: »

Bus passes can only be used off peak Mr Oink, well in my town anyway.

It depends on where you live. Round here they are *anytime* so old folk litterally fill up the early morning buses 'so they can get back' and to 'get in the front of the queue for the Post Office/whatever' . This makes it very interesting for workers, students and mums with pushchairs taking the kids to school.

I'd personally like to see the off-peak only rule made universal. There is the argument that some pensioners use the free pass to get to work, but I take the view 'if you are earning, you don't need it - pay for a ticket instead'.

Does that make me mean :mad:

zygurat789

I thought this was funded by a lump sum paid to the bus companies ie bearing no resemblance to useage and, therefore, the loss occurred when people who always used the bus could now use it for free. These people are not likely to be included in a tory minister's definition of better off.
Those of us who use the bus to ease congestion for other who use their cars and to save on CO2 emissions don't actually cost anything except a bit of fuel for the additional weight carried.
More money would be saved if the MPs gave up their index linking and all the other benefits which no other pension scheme has.on their pension scheme

BLT_2

I'm not even sure why anyone would catch a bus :-) I have used one once, the bus driver was Polish and didn't speak English so couldn't tell me what stop to get off at. It cost more to catch the bus than it would have done to park in town and I was sat behind 2 squealing kids and a harrassed mother.

By the time I got off of the bus from hell I needed to spend a fortune on valium to relax my stress.

And as for the Transport Secretary advising people to pay bus fares instead of using their bus passes, the bunch of free loading parasites we have in Parliament really should avoid opening their big mouths and suggesting other people avoid plundering the coffers - he is probably just worried there will be less left over for him and his cronies.

G and T old chap, don't worry its on expenses :rotfl:

krisskross

KxMx wrote: »

Some people have no savings because they have had to do low paid work their whole lives. Not as clear cut as you would make out.

A relative of mine (in her 50's) works 40+ hours a week and her wage is that of an Office Junior (when she runs the whole admin side for sales/rentals and does reception.) There are no other jobs for her to move to. She can't save, and lives from pay to pay.
She hardly falls under your generalisation.

My husband always did minimum wage type jobs but still managed to pay into a private pension that now pays £50 a week.

We also bought a house and brought up 4 children on very little money.

newleaf

pollypenny wrote: »

Someone on Radio 2 was complaining about pensioners using their passes to go into town and meet for a coffee - ie not essential shopping!

I heard that too, and she had the cheek to refer to it as 'joyriding'. I was so annoyed. I'm not old enough for a bus pass yet, and won't be for some time either, but I certainly don't begrudge one to anyone who is.
Get out and enjoy using it, |I say.

Katiehound

The whole system is unequal: for example if you live in London you can use the underground system for free with a bus pass, in Manchester (as a resident) you can also use the local trains for free. Sadly where I live public transport ( a rural area) is thin on the ground so most people need to use a car. I could go on the bus for free but I would have to pay the fare for my dogs!!! (even dogs travel free on London Transport!) better to drive as I least I can get there when I want by the most direct route.

hethmar

Yes, I heard her, it took my breath away. Basically she felt that the bus pass should be used for essential journeys only not for people to go on outings. But those people going on outings, even if just to meet friends and have tea and cakes are ploughing money into the economy and saving NI funds from having something to interest them and therefore not developing depressive illnesses!

Errata

Beats me how anyone can begrudge pensioners a free bus ride. Are we turning into The Nasty Country ?

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

We have the local mayor living two doors down he gets a chauffeur driven limousin every where he goes.
Very nice it is too especially since they've just bought a new one,well I suppose they had to the old one was all of two years old.
Perhaps when he starts paying to get the bus to the town hall I'll encourage everyone I know with a bus pass to start paying for their bus fares too.
What a liberty,they realy have to be kidding.

Greycrow

Hell, he will be expecting us to pay for cleaning our moats or maintaining our duck ponds next. Or worse, expect us to give up our non dom tax status.:eek: