Bus passes to be abolished?

Sweey_as_a_nut

Anyone listen to money box on radio 4 yesterday?
The minister responsible for bus passes, was on their speaking about bus passes. He made it clear he wants them scraped, to him they are a waste of public money. When Paul Lewis said to him, don't you think the benefits the bus pass as given older people is well worth the cost. His reply was, reports I get from around the country all say we don't want free bus travel.

Now all I wrote may not be word perfect, however that is the meaning of it. You can hear it again on the BBC web site.

karatedragon

Free Bus Passes didn't exist at one time until they were actually invented.

So if they are scrapped it will only be like it was before they were introduced.

Moreover, you can sleep well knowing that your abolished bus pass is helping the national deficit and thus you are doing your bit to get the country on track.

Indie_Kid

karatedragon wrote: »

Moreover, you can sleep well knowing that your abolished bus pass is helping the national deficit and thus you are doing your bit to get the country on track.

But having the bus pass means the holders go out and prehaps buy things? Therefore, helping the country.

2010

Sweey_as_a_nut wrote: »

His reply was, reports I get from around the country all say we don't want free bus travel.

Well the ones that don`t want it needn`t apply for it,so what`s the problem.

D.Cameron promised during the election that free bus passes would continue.

Labour was going to keep them but phase them up towards age 65 the same as they are doing to the state pension.

Bus passes are safe

---

end of story.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1295126/Millions-face-waiting-5-years-free-bus-pass.html

In the leadership debates during the election campaign, the Tory leader rounded on Gordon Brown after leaflets put out by his party said: ‘If you are a pensioner you could lose your... free travel’.
‘Those leaflets you’ve been getting from Labour, those letters you’ve been getting from Labour, are pure and simple lies,’ Mr Cameron said.
A Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘The Government is committed to protecting free bus travel for older people, as set out in the coalition agreement.

aloise

karatedragon wrote: »

Free Bus Passes didn't exist at one time until they were actually invented.

So if they are scrapped it will only be like it was before they were introduced.

Moreover, you can sleep well knowing that your abolished bus pass is helping the national deficit and thus you are doing your bit to get the country on track.

And it will leave more money for scroungers who want £2m mansions.We must look after everybody who comes into the country and have never paid a penny into the system. :mad: To hell with oldies who have paid and are still paying through council taxes.
Doesn't matter to me. My dh is 76 and at the moment we try not to use the car but if passes are abolished we will be using it a lot more.:eek: keep death of the road (not )
Of course there will be a lot of buses scrapped and drivers out of jobs, hey but who cares about that?

Indie_Kid

aloise wrote: »

Of course there will be a lot of buses scrapped and drivers out of jobs, hey but who cares about that?

I think this is what people are forgetting - it's not just the pass holders that will be affected.

tanith

There is already a long thread on similar subject

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2574667

aloise

tanith wrote: »

There is already a long thread on similar subject

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2574667

Thats true. why are people obsessed with pensioners bus passes?. There are surely a lot more inequalities in our country than this.

Farway

sh1305 wrote: »

But having the bus pass means the holders go out and prehaps buy things? Therefore, helping the country.

Agrred, yesterday I went down Southsea using my free pass, must have spent around £20 one way and another [pub lunch etc], which I would not have done had I not had free pass

Also gave me plenty of exercise walking around, again something I would have done without bus pass

Sweey_as_a_nut

The few who have condemned the bus pass, are really blinkered, of course there was a time when there were no bus passes.
If the present government had always been in power there would never have been bus passes, it would never have entered their head.

What are some of the good things bus passes have provided, it's meant older people can get about to help fill their day, and shop about for bargains, it's meant that in towns and villages older people are out and about helping things tick over, a lot of places would be ghost towns during the week if it was not for them, and as been mentioned they have put on extra buses so employing more, and most bus companies have bought new buses because of the extra activities.

And it helps the environment as people leave their cars at home, I think the environment will now take a back seat, if it costs money.

alanq

I heard the programme. The logic seemed to be that many can afford to pay, it is too complicated to means test it, so let's withdraw it for everyone!

The interviewer seemed to be of the opinion that free bus passes have been around for many years. In fact in England this has not generally been the case. Until a couple of years ago most districts' passes only gave travel at a reduced price for Seniors in the local area.

If free bus travel is withdrawn for England there will be outrage especially if Scotland and Wales continue with it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t0wdx#synopsis