Government ending concessionary fares fror eldely and disabled!!

Mrs_Arcanum

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

I'm over 60 and use by free bus pass regularly as it saves me having to pay parking charges levied by the thieving local Tories on our council.

Many of my friends also use their passes regularly, but one thing comes up very often, and that is what if the government ever abolished them. I can see the Tories thinking about it but it would be fatal for them at the ballot box as over 60's are far more likely to vote than any other group at a general election.

Most over 60's I speak to would be happy to make a contribution of, say 20p, each time we use our passes if it meant keeping the passes, as I understand that is about what the bus company gets from the council each time a pass is used.

Opposite of our local Tories whose sacred cow is free parking, even though it would be an excellent revenue stream.

Kilty_2

mustrum_ridcully wrote: »

Finally, are you happy with the prospect of older drivers who might just about be OK for short drives in town getting into their cars and doing long motorway journeys?

Isn't that what the medical etc after 70 is for? How can you assume that anyone over 60 might "just about be OK for short drives"?

Oh, yes, by the same logic that assumes that these people also contributed far more to the system than current taxpayers, I get it.

Tilt

Why not give give the over 60's £1000 worth of transport tokens per annum and then once they are gone, they pay just like anyone else. I read somewhere that it costs the LA's around £6000 per year per pass on average based on usage. Then theres the extra burden on some LA's in tourist areas having to fund visiting OAPs to use the local buses. Maybe the old folk would be a lttle more prudent with their use of the buses if there was a limit to their usage.

Hintza

mustrum_ridcully wrote: »

You think pensioners didn't struggle to pay bills we they were younger? They had to cope with bank of england base rates of up to 17%, so mortgages would easily have been 20%.

Steady on some of us who paid mortages at 17% are nowhere near retirement age, we are only going back just over 20 years for that.

By the way 17% was luxury the rate as nearer 25% when I was mortaged in South Africa.

moonrakerz

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

I'm over 60 and use by free bus pass regularly as it saves me having to pay parking charges levied by the thieving local Tories on our council.

This proposal has nothing to do with "normal" concessionary bus travel..........

poppasmurf_bewdley

moonrakerz wrote: »

This proposal has nothing to do with "normal" concessionary bus travel..........

And I'm very glad for that too!

thegirlintheattic

Things have to be cut - and I would rather it was things like this than essential services.

I know of a few old people who use these services, mainly to go on little jollies all around the UK rather than for essential travel - why should I be subsiding that?

You can still get very cheap bus/coach travel between major cities if needed.

poppasmurf_bewdley

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

Things have to be cut - and I would rather it was things like this than essential services.

I know of a few old people who use these services, mainly to go on little jollies all around the UK rather than for essential travel - why should I be subsiding that?

You can still get very cheap bus/coach travel between major cities if needed.

As one of the over 60's who go cavorting on my jollies with my Bus Pass, I'd like to know why I should contribute to educating your kids, or paying towards your benefits, or paying towards your future pension, or subsiding your train fares, or paying taxes to keep your council tax down, or many of the others things that MY TAXES go towards on YOUR behalf.

vikingaero

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

As one of the over 60's who go cavorting on my jollies with my Bus Pass, I'd like to know why I should contribute to educating your kids, or paying towards your benefits, or paying towards your future pension, or subsiding your train fares, or paying taxes to keep your council tax down, or many of the others things that MY TAXES go towards on YOUR behalf.

Because someone else paid to educate you, paid you benefits, will pay for your future pension etc etc.

thegirlintheattic

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

As one of the over 60's who go cavorting on my jollies with my Bus Pass, I'd like to know why I should contribute to educating your kids, or paying towards your benefits, or paying towards your future pension, or subsiding your train fares, or paying taxes to keep your council tax down, or many of the others things that MY TAXES go towards on YOUR behalf.

I'm talking about coach travel not a free bus pass.

My point is that it is not essential, I would be happy for any non-essential services to be cut rather than the country get into even more debt or taxes to rise even higher.