'Free Buses'

[Dai.]

I've just been informed of the following:

There is a petition starting to make buses free for:

Kids (Under 16)
Students (Over 16, in full-time education)
People who have been made redundant within 12 months
Old Age Pensioners (OAP's) that are living only on their pensions
and The Disabled (Wheelchairs, blind, Exec.)

This is a majority of the UK's population eligable for free buses, leaving people working or unemployed to pay the slack, which means the prices will go up and less people use the buses, the bus companies will go bankrupt and eventually there will be thousands of job losses.
[breaths]

What's your take?

 

[90019]

What's your take?

Frankly, it's a joke.

 

[Dai.]

Frankly, it's a joke.

They stand by their claims that this plan will work :P

 

[Broken Viking]

Could be difficult, especially with trying to define who does and doesn't qualify for free use of the service. In the case of a recently made redundant person, wouldn't they have to carry their redundancy letter (Which I understand could run to 20+ pages, with footnotes, calculations and pension data taken into account!) around with them all the time? hock:

Also, what of people such as myself? I have a hereditary learning disability that makes it impossible for me to gain and retain employment (Believe me, I've tried! :cry and as far as the Government is concerned, I satisfy all of the requirements for being considered "permanently disabled". On the other hand however, my body is in good physical condition and indeed I can often surpass the "average" person in certain things, especially walking speed, comfort distance, and maximum daily range!

Up until April this year, I held an English national bus pass which was awarded to me on the fact that I was still considered disabled, and also because I'd held Hampshire FarePasses for the preceeding two years. When I tried to renew mine this year however, I was told that my renewal was being refused as - Due to cost concerns and the scheme going wayyy over budget - They were now restricting issue to those with physical impairments only.

In retrospect, this was the right decision for the Council to make. Although I no longer have my concessionary bus travel privs, the cost of buses in my local area and the fact that I'm too tight fisted to pay the normal fares has led to me getting back on my feet and doing all of my journeys across the Blackwater and Erewash valleys on foot once more...Which in turn has led to my health improving, some of the old strength returning to my legs, and a much better outlook for the future as far as health and journeying long distances on foot goes! Thanks very much for that, Rushmoor Borough Council! 8)

Back on topic: The idea is a nice one in limited theory, but it's wholly unworkable in a realistic sense. Free travel for U-12s, OAPs and the physically/significantly disabled alone would be a much better and more workable ideal though, and personally I think that would be a better goal for the campaign to aim itself towards. 8)

 

[Dai.]

I agree some things should be free within travel for people, disabled, old age and things like this, but they are campaigning for a high majority to get free travel.

I'm currently in a debate with the person who made up the idea :P

 

[monkey]

...not for students, coming from a student. I think kids giong to school from low income families should get a pass to use during the week during school time. elderly and disabled peopel should get discounted travel but not free travel...

 

[Dai.]

...not for students, coming from a student. I think kids giong to school from low income families should get a pass to use during the week during school time. elderly and disabled peopel should get discounted travel but not free travel...

As I said, there should be free travel for some people, I wasn't going to go through all the people but someone somewhere has to pick up the slack.

 

[devon_metro]

Students should get discounted travel in my opinion.

 

[Broken Viking]

Students should get discounted travel in my opinion.

If I remember right, they already do...

<Cough> Young Person's Railcard </cough>

 

[Mojo]

Not on buses though always. Certaintly the only way to get discounted travel round here as a student is to buy a season ticket.

 

[Broken Viking]

True...Forgot that the original topic was mainly about omnibus travel!

Funnily enough, there seems to be a rather strange arrangement in the Farnborough area regarding student travel. Down here, we have two colleges - The Tech, and the Sixth Form.

• Students studying at the Sixth Form college can apply for a council-backed bus pass that allows unlimited travel between the holders local stop and the college (Including relevant connections) that's valid during term time for college journeys only.
  .
• On the other hand though - Despite the former system being deliberateley engineered to allow free travel to college without it being usable for most leisure journeys - Students at the Technical college aren't entitled to the same kind of pass no matter their reasons for needing one! hock:

I applied for the concession several times whilst studying at Farnborough Tech a few years ago, and no matter what argument I gave, I was always told that I wouldn't be issued one.

Maybe the Mayor's getting kick-backs from the sixth form?... :roll:

 

[TrainBrain185]

...not for students, coming from a student. I think kids giong to school from low income families should get a pass to use during the week during school time. elderly and disabled peopel should get discounted travel but not free travel...

Bus Companies have been making a noise for a while since the free nationwide OAP travel commenced last year stating Central/Local Government subsidies are not covering the higher OAP patronage. I recall the subject being televised on BBC News 24 focusing on the Stagecoach South operations which were having negative effects of the free OAP travel.

 

[Broken Viking]

I recall the subject being televised on BBC News 24 focusing on the Stagecoach South operations which were having negative effects of the free OAP travel.

Ahh...That was probabally my fault back from when I had a national concessionary bus pass myself. Back in those days, it was rather uncommon for me not to take 10 bus journeys in a day! hock:

Now that I'm off the scheme, Stagecoach ought to take another peek at their balance sheet. It's probabally become much more affordable by now!

 

[Dai.]

Many people are aware that there are some ways for people who have student bus passes from the colleges or further education authorities. They can do this because the college is paying for the passes themselves.

However with this scheme that the idiots are petitioning for shows that they have not thought about who is going to pick up the costs, the government can't be held responsible for the whole costs, which means bus companies will have to bring the costs up, in results people who are paying for the bus are going to have to pay more and less people will use the bus.

As I've said in the beginning, the idea will lead to job losses.

 

[SouthEastern-465]

I Get the bus free but I had to send for a Zip Card (under 16s Oyster) but I think OAPs should get them free but not all the these foriengners who get free rail and bus travel and some english people have to pay while they get it all free and the have done nothing to deserve it.

 

[krus_aragon]

Strangely enough I was debating this with a friend yesterday. My eventual conclusion was that free bus/public transport passes should be made available to anyone who's medically disqualified from driving. Perhaps concessionary (discount) passes for some other groups.

 

[tbtc]

There's a petition around these days for every subject under the sun - I can't think of one which has made any real difference (other than getting some free publicity) - just because they may be on the 10 Downing Street website doesn't make them any more likely to suceed than a Facebook group...

 

[Dai.]

Strangely enough I was debating this with a friend yesterday. My eventual conclusion was that free bus/public transport passes should be made available to anyone who's medically disqualified from driving. Perhaps concessionary (discount) passes for some other groups.

I think discounts would work better than FREE bus travel and if they are medically disqualified from driving is also a good idea. Free bus travel is a terrible idea, someone somewhere would have to pick up the slack and I don't think the current economy can handle it.

There's a petition around these days for every subject under the sun - I can't think of one which has made any real difference (other than getting some free publicity) - just because they may be on the 10 Downing Street website doesn't make them any more likely to suceed than a Facebook group...

These clever people are on both! Does this help their cause?
I think not.

 

[Mojo]

I Get the bus free but I had to send for a Zip Card (under 16s Oyster) but I think OAPs should get them free but not all the these foriengners who get free rail and bus travel and some english people have to pay while they get it all free and the have done nothing to deserve it.

Eh? You don't get free travel for being foreign.

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

Use a FOSS and it's free anyway. Or a CHPRV +Bus for about 25p. Not that i've ever done that.

 

[JustinStacey.x]

All it would mean is a slight price increase and the rest being filled in by government grants. Money of course, which the government doesn't have.

As that guy in GTA vice city on the radio says: 'if you don't like it in my country, get a job or starve'. Or something to that effect. I completely agree. You get a job, or at least, you try damn hard, or you starve. Simple. I'm sick of this communist crap in this country treating everyone like equals when clearly we're not. There are those out there who are successful, those who are trying, those who are trying but bloody unfortunate, and then those who are just lazy bums swallowing up our taxes.

 

[mumrar]

I don't agree with free travel passes at all, even for people medically disqualified from driving. If they were allowed to drive it would cost money, so why should the substitute transport be free? As for under 16s, we're constantly informed and wise enough to see that obesity levels have shot up. Get on a bike you lazy sods! Me and my friends cycled everywhere, sometimes doing 60mile day trips when we were 14. I fully expect a list of excuses for why this can't be the case, but people really should get some pride, self respect, and learn to look after themselves first before asking others to take the job on.

 

[poshbakerloo]

They are the only buses I will ever use!! I hate bus drivers!! always rude!! and some even laugh when I say things 'wrong' I just never use them so I don't know!

 

[90019]

I hate bus drivers!! always rude!!

I just never use them so I don't know!

How can you know that they're always rude if you never use them? :?

 

[JustinStacey.x]

They are the only buses I will ever use!! I hate bus drivers!! always rude!! and some even laugh when I say things 'wrong' I just never use them so I don't know!

How do you mean, you say things 'wrong'? Like pronunciation of a place?

Also, bus drivers always being rude is a lie... up here in my town nearly all the drivers are pleasant and when I was down in London I found more drivers to be pleasant than not. One even said to me he'd call me when I came to my stop as it was clear I was new to the city, and he did just that as I arrived.

 

[Lower Quadrant]

Some seniors from Birmingham recently travelled to Devon and Cornwall on their free passes,and their story was in the local paper.Rankles some.Now apparently,the folk who are entitled to free bus passes are to be means tested.Caring Government measure.

 

[rww100]

Some seniors from Birmingham recently travelled to Devon and Cornwall on their free passes,and their story was in the local paper.Rankles some.Now apparently,the folk who are entitled to free bus passes are to be means tested.Caring Government measure.

When they were first introduced, North West Tonight followed a lady and her friend from Berwick-upon-Tweed down to Lands End on their passes.

 

[mumrar]

That defines taking the **** really. It must have taken them forever and been utterly appalling too. Hope the sponging freeloaders got DVT! (Note to the reactionaries, I actually do not wish this, it's called satire!)

 

[SouthEastern-465]

Eh? You don't get free travel for being foreign.

Around near me there are a couple of albanians and they get a "Freedom Pass" for free and there in there 30s,while people like me and you and people what work have to pay the fare for trains and busses its a absolute joke.

 

[Mojo]

Around near me there are a couple of albanians and they get a "Freedom Pass" for free and there in there 30s,while people like me and you and people what work have to pay the fare for trains and busses its a absolute joke.

Well they must have something wrong with them, you don't just get one for zilch!