Pensioners Bus Passes Scotland

[Jordyboy9]

I have just read that the SNP are thinking of reviewing bus passes for scottish pensioners,my opinion would be this is an area that should be left alone, otherwise the next election total wipeout for SNP

[anneasquith]

Omg jack, maybe he was born in Scotland ?

[anneasquith]

You're on form this a.m jordy :-)

[diddlydo]

Yes, the government and therefore the taxpayer funds the free bus passes but there are benefits that no-one has mentioned. Firstly a lot of us with a bus pass go places that we wouldn't normally go to and spend money which benefits the local economy. Secondly, it's much better for the environment to have people on buses rather than in individual cars.

[gness]

You could add, Diddly......it keeps folk employed....it allows the elderly to travel safely and interest their minds when they are unable to drive....we know how keeping occupied is beneficial for those in the early stages of dementia.....
Far better some funded travel than stagnating because you have no means of getting around.....x

[sunny-dave]

Quite so, diddly and gness, my comments earlier weren't in any way saying "it's not a good thing" - just pointing out that there is a cost to the taxpayer.

Actually it is (overall) a benefit to the economy too :

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/09/scrapping-free-bus-travel-older-people-cost

[youngmafbog]

Just out of interest why should anyone think someone of working age should have a bus pass unless they have mobility problems?

Anne. Jordy I dont see where he was born has any reflection on the name, which is clearly not a "good old Scottish" name. It isn't and no amount of PC posturing can change that fact.

[bhg481]

diddydo - I think a third advantage is that it acts as a means of subsidising the buses for everybody. If a bus service is poorly used it starts to lose money; there are two options, up the fares or reduce the frequency of the service. Either causes more people to abandon the bus and use their own transport. Thus the passes act to keep the service running and cheaper for the paying users.

[diddlydo]

Yes, it's so often a case of "use it or lose it" in rural areas such as mine. Therefore, whenever I can, I take the bus rather than my car even though the latter option might be marginally quicker.

[youngmafbog]

But no one is advocating removal of the bus passes in Scotland as far as I can see, just not allowing working age people to have one. And that seems quite reasonable to me.

[geevo]

Ahem

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/eu-backs-pensioner-over-bus-pass-row-1345117.html

[Old_Geezer]

Surely cost is minimal, depending on how it's run. Fills up busses that would run anyway, but empty.

[bhg481]

OG - the bus company gets a payment from the Local Authority for each passholder it carries, so there is a cost.

[Old_Geezer]

But it should be minimal because they are contracted to run the service anyway and would otherwise lose running an empty bus.

[goodgoalie]

If you live in London, you only have to be 60+ for free tube and bus travel:
https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/adult-discounts-and-concessions/60-london-oyster

[bhg481]

goodgoalie - free after you've bought the card for £20.

[diddlydo]

Goodgoalie - what your link is talking about is something completely different from the Freedom Pass which all Londoners were granted at age 60 as long as they were born before some magic date (I think 1950 was the cut-off point). This 60+ Oystercard has been introduced by TfL to help those people who are over 60 but not old enough to qualify for the Freedom Pass.

[jno]

Diddlydo, does the Freedom Pass offer something that the Oyster 60+ does not?

[bhg481]

The Freedom Pass is valid throughout the whole of England; the Oyster only in London.