Free bus and rail travel for the oldies from next April ??

System

I believe that to be just the opposite. If you read everything available, in the media released yesterday and via google, you will see that in fact anyone that already enjoys the freedom of this pass "you won't need to do anything", just open the envelope when it arrives.

Diane_239

the new passes will allow both the over 60s and disabled to travel on any bus in the uk and on certain train routes contact your local council office for advice.

roddydogs

If you live near London, you only get the pass for Buses, whereas Londoners (Inc Greater London) can use Tube and Train, even Docklands light railway, so were still the poor relations!

System

I must have read hundreds of official words on this and on my understanding of it all, there WILL be variations. Each council/local authority have the choice to introduce a number of things. Where the document states, commencing at 9.30am, councils/LA can ignore it and say all day. Equally trams and rail can for part of the package. It is entirely dependent on availability. For instance, if you live in a rural area and the bus runs every couple of hours and it leaves before 9.30am, then no doubt this will be noted and access be made available.

If you google https://www.direct.gov.uk/buspass and read as many links as you can, before getting bored, you will notice that each link is a particular local authorities interpretation of the scheme and how they will implement it.

System

Last week, our local rag ran a full page article about the forthcoming Free Bus Pass and what we'd be able to do with it. The heading was "Where will you go?". The article came up with suggestions for Bournemouth & the Lake District plus others and we live in the Anglia region. I emailed the editor telling him I thought the article was misleading and gave him the Gov. link.

I then searched our County Council website and they too had the same headline etc. My guess is that the press picked up on it and elaborated.

My next email was to the County Council with links to the Gov. site.

In reply came an apologetic reply, sections were:-

"I am sorry that the wording of our promotional material has led the media to misunderstand and misrepresent what the scheme will actually offer".

and,

"it has been widely accepted that the wording could have been made clearer and has indeed led to a level of misunderstanding" etc

When the editor opens his mailbox, he will see I have provided him with further information and invited him to correct the misleading information he provided last week.

splottson

I assume you refer to the forthcoming Free Bus Pass for the over-60's in England? While it will give the holder free travel on local buses, there are occaisions where local services overlap, so it should be possible to travel from one end of the country to the other using only local services.

Farway

splottson wrote: »

I assume you refer to the forthcoming Free Bus Pass for the over-60's in England? While it will give the holder free travel on local buses, there are occaisions where local services overlap, so it should be possible to travel from one end of the country to the other using only local services.

You are correct of course, but I suspect many would be dead before they had completed the journey using only local buses :rotfl:

No doubt even as I type some enterprising over 60 is busy scouring all the UK local bus time tables and planning for such a trip, me I will stick to local but just could be tempted to try further afield for a long day out

System

Exactly, I couldn't agree more. No-one in their right mind would endeavour to prove the point that is could be done.

With Nat.Ex fun fares starting at £1, that is an exercise worth trying.

NorfolkPam

District councils sometimes offer a reduction on senior rail cards. I got £5 off from my council. They also handle the national bus passes.

gazroe

Poppycat wrote: »

Can I just say this isn't just for people over 60 many disabled people are also entitled in some cases the carer can go free. I know because my daughter got the old local card and a new one soon to be issued and I or the OH can go with her for free on local journeys

WE got the card by going to local council customer care and she had her photo taken there and then, and the card was issued some minutes later

Hi the withcarer pass is not part of the national scheme but is an add-on by the Local Council,
so for example in Notts where I live they can use the pass, for disabled with carer anywhere with in notts or for any journey out of notts ie Worksop to Doncaster, BUT once outside the Home county the national rules apply and the card only becomes valid for the person named on it NOT the carer, the carer would need to pay to travel back.

this is because under the new scheme, the county where you get on the bus pays the bus company to carry you. so in the example given,
worksop-doncaster starts in notts so they will pay for the carer as part of its add on service
doncaster-worksop starts in South yorkshire and the will not pay for carer as its not part of their scheme.

confusing? yes the reality is most bus drivers (my self included) have recived very little training or information on how the scheme works and would just accept with card for both disabled and carer
Garry