Have free bus pass, want to travel.

LesD

Edinburghlass wrote: »

This is also the case heading in the other direction, pass holders from Scotland can travel for free to Carlisle and Berwick on Tweed but then cannot use their pass on buses once there.

In addition, you can use your National Entitlement Card on services to and from Carlisle and on services to and from Berwick-upon-Tweed from anywhere in Scotland. Your National Entitlement Card does not give you free bus travel within Carlisle or Berwick-upon-Tweed.

http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/concessionary-travel/coverage

I thought I'd follow up with a similar enquiry to First group who not only run a similar route from Berwick to Galashiels (60), but also do a route from Carlisle which then goes on to Edinburgh (X95).

Unfortunately, I've had this reply:

Hello Les,

Thank you for contacting us via our e-mail address.
You can only use your senior pass on servcie 60 from Berwick to
Galashiels.Unless you have a Cumbria Now card which allows you free travel
between Carlisle to Canonbie and from Canonbie to Galshiels you would need
to pay the full adult fare.
Hope this helps.


Kind Regards

Liz Peebles
Customer Services Officer
First
Carmuirs House
300 Stirling Road
Larbert
FK5 3NJ

MarkyMarkD

One of the more annoying consequences of devolution, I suppose, and not one which is fair in any way shape or form.

If you live in the far north of Scotland, or west of Wales, or south of England, you can travel hundreds of miles for free. But if you happen to live anywhere near any of the borders, you can't go far at all.

Madness!

Farway

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

One of the more annoying consequences of devolution, I suppose, and not one which is fair in any way shape or form.

If you live in the far north of Scotland, or west of Wales, or south of England, you can travel hundreds of miles for free. But if you happen to live anywhere near any of the borders, you can't go far at all.

Madness!

Or in my case, my local authority allows free bus travel 24/7 within it's boundaries for residents

However my nearest bus stops, and towns are "over the border" so I can't use my all day pass until 0930 anyway.

In fact there was a rather unpleasant Gestapo bus driver the other week who berated one pensioner who tried to board at 0920 using the all day pass, and then lectured the rest of the bus about how pass was not valid until 0930

However if the person had got on the stop before, as the person who told me this did, then all would have been well

Farway

islandman wrote: »

As an aside, an old chap was being pessimistic by announcing to me that "once the government realise the success of this, they'll stop it as they're loosing money". But surely, given that a record of every passenger is being made, aren't they receiving something back in return?.

Whilst I agree about record of every passenger is valid for some areas, I suspect most do not have record unless there are swipe type readers fitted on the bus

There are none around here, just show the pass

Old_Meanie

Hello I am in Hertfordshire (about half mile from the greater London boundary) my bus pass is issued by the local Council and is valid for journeys in Hertfordshire before the 9.30 am restriction but not in London. However, you can get a bus to connect with London buses and time it to arrive just after 9.30. I have been told two different times by London Transport 9 am and 9.30 am does anyone know which is correct. I also requested bus timetables three weeks ago and am still waiting is this par for the course. Thanks for any information.

MarkyMarkD

Farway wrote: »

In fact there was a rather unpleasant Gestapo bus driver the other week who berated one pensioner who tried to board at 0920 using the all day pass, and then lectured the rest of the bus about how pass was not valid until 0930

With respect, I don't think the bus driver was being "Gestapo-like".

The pensioner was trying it on. They presumably knew the bus timetable and had gone out before 0930 to catch a bus leaving before 0930. They knew what they were doing wrong!

If the bus driver had allowed them on and issued a ticket timed at 0920, they would correctly have been penalised by an inspector for allowing someone to use an invalid pass.

chesky369

Yes, in London, you swipe your card on the machine (either bus or tube); if it works, it works; if it doesn't, you just have to wait for the next one.

Old Meanie - inside London the freedom passes work from 9am on the tubes and buses, but for the main-line trains, it's 9.30am; but I truly don't know about passes from outside London - when you find out for sure, let us all know.

EdInvestor

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

If you live in the far north of Scotland, or west of Wales, or south of England, you can travel hundreds of miles for free. But if you happen to live anywhere near any of the borders, you can't go far at all.

Yes you can, you just have to go in the other direction.

Farway

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

With respect, I don't think the bus driver was being "Gestapo-like".

The pensioner was trying it on. They presumably knew the bus timetable and had gone out before 0930 to catch a bus leaving before 0930. They knew what they were doing wrong!

If the bus driver had allowed them on and issued a ticket timed at 0920, they would correctly have been penalised by an inspector for allowing someone to use an invalid pass.

Obviously neither you or I know know what the pensioner was thinking, but for me, given the geography of the area, and the local authority boundary wrt bus stops, my money would be on confusion rather than cunning

They would be entitled just a few hundreds yards up the road to free travel at all times, my assumption is they had same pass as I do, free at all times

System

Farway wrote: »

Whilst I agree about record of every passenger is valid for some areas, I suspect most do not have record unless there are swipe type readers fitted on the bus

There are none around here, just show the pass

Might I dare to suggest that drivers make a hand movement and register a free user has just boarded their bus. I've seen this and enquired for myself and have been told they NEED to record every passenger, paying or not.