Please Stop Using Bus Passes - Transport Secretary

tanith

sh1305 wrote: »

Depending on what their mobility problems are, if the pensionsers bus pass is scrapped, they'd probably qualify for the disabled persons bus pass anyway.

Maybe so but the disabled transport has lots of restrictions , won't take you to GP app, or hospital app, and others... with the normal bus pass I can get on any bus or tube I want at any time of day..I don't have to make an appointment and stick to a schedule...

Indie_Kid

tanith wrote: »

Maybe so but the disabled transport has lots of restrictions , won't take you to GP app, or hospital app, and others... with the normal bus pass I can get on any bus or tube I want at any time of day..I don't have to make an appointment and stick to a schedule...

The disabled persons bus pass (which I was talking about) is the same as the older persons bus pass - apart from the criteria and I think, the colour of the pass.

Errata

sh1305 wrote: »

The disabled persons bus pass (which I was talking about) is the same as the older persons bus pass - apart from the criteria and I think, the colour of the pass.

The point I was trying to make, and clearly failed to in your case, is that if a pensioner has mobility problems which result in them being unable to get further than their garden gate - for whatevert mobility reason - it really doesn't matter what kind of free pass is available to them. They won't be able to get to the bus stop to use it.

lilac_lady

Errata wrote: »

The point I was trying to make, and clearly failed to in your case, is that if a pensioner has mobility problems which result in them being unable to get further than their garden gate - for whatevert mobility reason - it really doesn't matter what kind of free pass is available to them. They won't be able to get to the bus stop to use it.

In some areas you can exchange the free bus pass for a taxi card that allows you to take half price journeys rather than use the bus.

margaretclare

WASHER wrote: »

The problem is that you cannot get onto the bus at many times of the day during the summer, the bus company is losing money by the government offering free bus passes to pensioners. The government subisdy simply doesn't cover the number of non paying passengers.

I would gladly like to see Child Benefit means tested, just like Winter fuel allowance, bus passes etc, I don't see why the government should hand out millions to people, spending cuts have to come from somewhere.

Btw, my children and I would offer a seat to a pregnant woman or an elderly person, but my point is you cannot get on the bus in the first instance, the bus company is losing money hence the reason they cannot put on extra bus services. The bus service I am talking about between Scarborough and Bridlington has made the 6pm National news because of the problems I have mentioned with the free bus passes, and paying passengers further down the route cannot get on.

http://www.beverleyguardian.co.uk/9458/121-service-is-no-good.4929041.jp

I found this on a local newspaper website, this may confirm my post and I didn't write the letter.

Now you've said where you live, that puts an entirely different complexion on the matter. The road between Scarborough and Bridlington is an extremely scenic route and I can understand why people want to go there. The letter in the Beverley Guardian does make it clear that the problem is an inadequate bus service and unsuitably-sited bus stops.

I have been saying for a long time that free bus passes, winter fuel payments, free TV and any other little hand-outs were demeaning and should be reserved for those at the lower end of the income scale. It is known which pensioners claim pension credit and I cannot see why it is so impossible to link up these 'hand-outs' - target them more effectively - to those who really need them and will appreciate them. But I realise that I am in a minority. I don't accept the argument 'I paid taxes all those years therefore I'm entitled'. DH and I paid taxes for many many years, in fact he is STILL paying tax. This is the first year that I haven't paid tax, so I've given him back my half of the married people's tax allowance. That has reduced his tax bill but he still pays some.

Errata

I have been saying for a long time that free bus passes, winter fuel payments, free TV and any other little hand-outs were demeaning

They are demeaning, as is the low rate of state pension, so like the ad says "Every little helps"

lilac_lady

I pay tax and the only "hand outs" I receive are the heating allowance and the free bus pass. I feel that means testing every "perk" will discourage pensioners from saving for their retirement.

Katykat

Pensioners incomes are already means tested aren't they? You only get the pension top up if you are on a low income so all the Government need do is link a free bus pass to that if they so wished - very little extra admin costs.

So once again, the pensioners who have paid into a pension scheme, to supplement their state pension, dont just not qualify for any "benefits", but also dont get a bus pass??? Yet another reason NOT to save. I still think that our pensioners deserve this as a right. It costs more to keep a car on the road when yu are older, higher ins, not able to do simple repairs yourself, etc. And I do think that there are some elderly people who shouldn't be driving. I'm not being rude here, but I for one cant imagine me being a safe driver when I'm 90.

margaretclare

Errata wrote: »

The point I was trying to make, and clearly failed to in your case, is that if a pensioner has mobility problems which result in them being unable to get further than their garden gate - for whatever mobility reason - it really doesn't matter what kind of free pass is available to them. They won't be able to get to the bus stop to use it.

Exactly.

We have been in this position with mobility problems and it may happen again, which is why we intend to keep on driving our car as long as we possibly can. I once had to get to the hospital in the middle of the night when DH was literally at death's door and I couldn't have done it except by jumping into the car and driving there. He very nearly came home without one of his legs. As it is, he's been told 'it's as good as it's going to get', which means: he can't stand up for too long and can't walk any distance. He couldn't stand being thrown around the way bus-drivers around here seem to drive. I don't think anyone takes a bus journey just for fun, or at least, not round here.

Savvy_Sue

ampersand wrote: »

Make the most of your Bus Passes whilst you still have them cos mark my words it won't be long before this governement takes them away... just like the free swimming for under 16's and over 60's


#############

Free swimming ends on 31 July at our Pool.:mad:

The free swimming was only ever funded for a temporary period, and not all councils chose to offer it anyway, so it's not quite the same as the universal free bus pass.

Errata wrote: »

The point I was trying to make, and clearly failed to in your case, is that if a pensioner has mobility problems which result in them being unable to get further than their garden gate - for whatevert mobility reason - it really doesn't matter what kind of free pass is available to them. They won't be able to get to the bus stop to use it.

But then there are already lots of pensioners who are entitled to a free bus pass but who can't use it anyway!

I have mixed feelings about it (probably because I'm not expecting them still to be available by the time I am eventually entitled to anything) - there are still older people who don't claim pension credit, even though they are entitled, because of 'pride' or independence or not wanting everyone to know their business.