If YOU have a Bus Pass

kathrynha

KxMx wrote: »

It should certainly be first come first served.

But I disagree bus operators get paid very nicely for pass holders.

A local company gets 93p for each journey, down from £1.20 in 2008. The average fare is £1.80.

22% of passengers are full paying, 38% are pass holders and 40% are children/young people.

They've begun reducing or withdrawing routes used by majority pass holders and from a business point you can see why. One route is going where 77% are pass holders, when the average across the network is 33%.

The problem round where I am is the fares for paying customers are going up above inflation every year to subsidise those with bus passes, which is resulting in less paying customers using the buses, especially when at the end of a long day at work you are lucky if you can get on the bus, and have no chance of getting a seat because of all the people with bus passes travelling home from their days out during evening rush hour.

I have stopped paying £4.60 per day to commute by bus, and now pay about £2 for petrol, park for free, and save myself about 1 hour a day in time, with the added benefit of being guaranteed a seat.

And to go in to the nearest big city, the cheapest central car park is only is 90p more for 12 hours than the bus fare for 1 adult.

Roger1

scotsbob wrote: »

And what exactly is your point?

lynnejk said:

Here in Scotland you get your bus pass when you are 60 !!

End of - free for whole of Scotland

I pointed out that IMO it compares poorly with London travel passes.

scotsbob wrote: »

More Londoners than Scots qualify for what? A London bus pass?
Of what use would a London bus pass be to a Highlander?

Don't be silly. More London residents qualify for a bus pass than Scots (without even comparing to Highlanders).

It's not my fault.

zygurat789

kathrynha wrote: »

The problem round where I am is the fares for paying customers are going up above inflation every year to subsidise those with bus passes, which is resulting in less paying customers using the buses, especially when at the end of a long day at work you are lucky if you can get on the bus, and have no chance of getting a seat because of all the people with bus passes travelling home from their days out during evening rush hour.

I have stopped paying £4.60 per day to commute by bus, and now pay about £2 for petrol, park for free, and save myself about 1 hour a day in time, with the added benefit of being guaranteed a seat.

And to go in to the nearest big city, the cheapest central car park is only is 90p more for 12 hours than the bus fare for 1 adult.

There is no subsidy to bus passes, from the bus companies anyway, the marginal cost of a journey is very small.
You've got it the wrong way round. If buspasses were abolished the number of journeys made by former bus pass holders would plummet, this would result in less money being received by the bus companies, in which case, what do you think they would do?

duchy

The fact is the bus companies are accepting payment from the local councils to carry pass holders - to try to pressure the passholders into paying is essentially theft as the bus company has already agreed the form of payment and accepted the conditions and are now trying to boost revenue illegally. I wonder if this inspector was on some kind of a bonus if takings on certain routes increased .

KxMx wrote: »

It should certainly be first come first served.

But I disagree bus operators get paid very nicely for pass holders.

A local company gets 93p for each journey, down from £1.20 in 2008. The average fare is £1.80.

22% of passengers are full paying, 38% are pass holders and 40% are children/young people.

They've begun reducing or withdrawing routes used by majority pass holders and from a business point you can see why. One route is going where 77% are pass holders, when the average across the network is 33%.

catkins

Roger1 wrote: »

And your point is what, exactly?

You can't use yours in England just as I can't use mine in Scotland for the same reason - the Scots wouldn't agree.

My London pass is good all over England after 9:30 and in London 24 hours a day, Underground and rail too. Londoners over 60 get their own pass valid after 9:30.

Oh, more Londoners than Scots qualify.
https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100917135727AA7BMbC

So if you live in Scotland or London you still get a bus pass at 60 whereas the rest of us have wait until we are 66!

SailorSam

catkins wrote: »

So if you live in Scotland or London you still get a bus pass at 60 whereas the rest of us have wait until we are 66!

We get a Merseytravel pass at 60, which covers buses; trains, and ferries after 9.30am So it must be just different Councils do things differently.
Over the Christmas period there are quite a few buses that run on Hospital routes that are free to everyone.

catkins

SailorSam wrote: »

We get a Merseytravel pass at 60, which covers buses; trains, and ferries after 9.30am So it must be just different Councils do things differently.
Over the Christmas period there are quite a few buses that run on Hospital routes that are free to everyone.

You are right. A quick google shows me different councils have different rules. Some are sticking with the age 60 rule while others are going with the new pension ages.


Typical of my council that they are going with the new ages!

poppasmurf_bewdley

scotsbob wrote: »

Yes, surely that is self evident.


There are no Scots who qualify for a London bus pass, they don't live there.


Equally no London residents qualify for a Scottish bus pass.




I fail to see the point you are trying to make.

I'm sure the OP is pointing out that more people in London qualify for a bus pass than in the whole of Scotland. At least, that's how I read it.

scotsbob

Roger1 wrote: »

lynnejk said:I pointed out that IMO it compares poorly with London travel passes.Don't be silly. More London residents qualify for a bus pass than Scots (without even comparing to Highlanders).

It's not my fault.

Why do you say I'm being silly?


Obviously more Londoners than Scots will qualify for a London bus pass because Scots are not eligible, they don't live in London. Surely that is self evident.


Equally no London residents qualify for a Scottish bus pass, they don't live in Scotland.


I don't see what point you are trying to make.


If you are referring simply to the number issued, then with a larger population obviously a greater number will be issued in London, again I think that is self evident.


If you are referring to value for money then that is subjective. A Scots person can travel from one end of the country to another for free, as opposed to travel just within one city.

Errata

The population of London is over twice that of Scotland - ergo more bus passes.