Vocal Voices

The Local Government Association (LGA) says that it cannot afford to continue the concessionary fares schemes because they are so expensive, but they are enshrined in law. These passes allow the elderly and disabled to escape the four wall prisons they cal "home". Without them they would otherwise be confined: day-in, day-out.

In towns and cities they might not be so necessary and a nominal charge of say, 10p or 20p, could be made per journey, but in rural areas such as the Dales or Lake District they are an absolute necessity to get to market for food/clothes/Post Office/banking.

It's typical of the London classes, where everything is within walking distance, to come up with reducing funds for such schemes.

Well said.

I actually think bus passes should go in most cases. Three people I work with have free bus passes as they are over 60 but still working. I think bus passes should be means tested, but then I think the cold weather payments should be means tested too. My son certainly doesn't need one. Thats not to say that I don't think the elderly and disabled deserve them, just not a blanket decision on the over 60's. Sixty isn't old these days

I won't get mine until I'm 66, although I expect they'll be long gone by then.....

I was quite looking forward to it, I use buses a fair bit

I understood that the free bus passes for pensioners was a Government initiative
and that local councils have no say in the matter.

But some councils are reducing the number of buses available, which is their way
of getting round the problem of balancing the books.

I agree that free bus passes and winter fuel payments really should be means tested.

And what criteria are to be used to 'means test'? Income? Distance from? Mobility?

No one formula works, but that is what the gov't would love to go with.

I don't know, I just think 60 is too young. Isn't the disability concessionary scheme totally different? I am forever having people handing in forms at work for the GP's to sign. Some they do, some they don't.

Means testing.........well I know there will be pensioners who don't need the fuel payment, but many do and more than deserve it. Also for many pensioners the bus pass is a godsend, but will more than likely only be used once a week for essential travel. I have never used my bus pass, but do use it usually once a week for free parking and travel on the Park & Ride. So much is said and implied about pensioners being a drain on the economy with these payments, but the vast majority of said pensioners have paid into the economy for something like 30 or 40 years. I don't think the £100 I get each winter and a free Park & Ride once a week is over the top when I have paid thousands of pounds in tax and NI in the past. Think about all the people who have paid nothing in and yet receive vast amounts out in benefits each week.

My step mum loves her free bus pass admittedly. She doesn't have to pay when she goes to Tesco to pick up her 280 cigarettes that last her a week and her two litres of whiskey. It's a God send because she couldn't afford to get the bus if she didn't have it, and they are so heavy to carry back from the local Co-Op.

perhaps the councils that think this way could also come up with when ,their perks & inflated pension pots will be reduced

thought not