# Bus pass



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I'm feeling a bit miffed that I seem to be only able to use my shiny new bus pass in England, not much use as we have the car, but I was hoping it would be valid in Scotland so we could park up and perhaps do a tour of the local area.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

What happens if you get a bus from Leeds to Edinburgh? Do they chuck you off at Jedburgh? Maybe there are now thousands of confused pensioners shuffling around the border as we speak!


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> I'm feeling a bit miffed that I seem to be only able to use my shiny new bus pass in England, not much use as we have the car, but I was hoping it would be valid in Scotland so we could park up and perhaps do a tour of the local area.


Well I suppose if the Scots cannot use theirs in England, which I am not sure about, that would be fair enough.

Of course they are issued and subsidised by your local council, but I have wondered who re-imburses the bus company in Manchester if you use your's there?

London are very grateful to us who worked hard in our life in London, earning higher wages and enjoying big capital gains on our property - so much so that they give us a 'Freedom Pass' which covers not only buses but also the Tube and Overground railways out to approx. M25

[I just added the London bit to give Kev a bit of a stir - well we can't all live in 'God's own country']

Sorry Kev.

Geoff


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

No-one reimburses the local authority. The council tax payers of Weymouth get HAMMERED because its a populat seaside town for pensioners who all use their "free" bus pass. They dont pay anything BUT the bus companies get their money out of the council who get it from whose pocket??? That'll be mine then !!!

Personally I think it should be 
a) restricted to journies that start in the holders locality (to include return fares) That would stop people from away taking the p***. If they can afford to take a holiday they can afford to pay for a bus fare, and 
B) They should be means tested, I have a friends who are certainly NOT strapped for a few grand, are still in full time employment, yet whenever we go away INSIST on using their bus passes as much as they possibly can, even though they buy a NEW MH every two years??? Not really "right" is it ??


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## Evs54 (Mar 11, 2013)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> I'm feeling a bit miffed that I seem to be only able to use my shiny new bus pass in England, not much use as we have the car, but I was hoping it would be valid in Scotland so we could park up and perhaps do a tour of the local area.


I have just had mine for Wales which is funded by the Welsh Assembly and local council, and for use on local bus services throughout Wales.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

nicholsong said:


> Well I suppose if the Scots cannot use theirs in England, which I am not sure about, that would be fair enough.
> 
> Of course they are issued and subsidised by your local council, but I have wondered who re-imburses the bus company in Manchester if you use your's there?
> 
> ...


Tw Au I'll cope


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

All the Bus passes are regional, I think it may be that there is a language barrier and some are unwilling to read them, a bit like France.00

cabby


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Mrplodd said:


> No-one reimburses the local authority. The council tax payers of Weymouth get HAMMERED because its a populat seaside town for pensioners who all use their "free" bus pass. They dont pay anything BUT the bus companies get their money out of the council who get it from whose pocket??? That'll be mine then !!!
> 
> Personally I think it should be
> a) restricted to journies that start in the holders locality (to include return fares) That would stop people from away taking the p***. If they can afford to take a holiday they can afford to pay for a bus fare, and
> B) They should be means tested, I have a friends who are certainly NOT strapped for a few grand, are still in full time employment, yet whenever we go away INSIST on using their bus passes as much as they possibly can, even though they buy a NEW MH every two years??? Not really "right" is it ??


Grumpy sod > >:0

We like lots are on a Gov pension, I see it as reciprocal you come here, we go there type of thing, one of the few joys of getting to 65 is that I can get a little back from all the money I paid into the system, some may of course take the ****, but I'd like to see some of the town we can't park easily in, so would park out of town and bus in, see the sights, maybe spend a few quid, the local economy gets a tiny boost.

I have no problem with the population of Jockshire coming down here to use our busses either.


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## paulmold (Apr 2, 2009)

Evs54 said:


> I have just had mine for Wales which is funded by the Welsh Assembly and local council, and for use on local bus services throughout Wales.


You can use for Welsh pass for journeys that start or end in Wales subject to conditions as reproduced here..

''Your pass will be valid all day, every day, and will give you unlimited free local bus travel throughout Wales on valid services.

You may also use your pass for free travel on some cross border journeys that go into England, provided that your journey is unbroken and starts or finishes in Wales.

For example:

 If you were travelling from Rhyl to Chester direct, without changing buses, you would
be able to travel for free for the whole return journey, provided that you boarded the bus in Wales.

 Similarly, if you were travelling back from Chester to Rhyl, you would be able to travel
for free, provided that you got off the bus within Wales.

 However, if you were travelling from Rhyl to Ellesmere Port and had to change buses
at Chester, you would be able to travel for free between Rhyl and Chester, but you would have to pay the full fare between Chester and Ellesmere Port.

 Similarly, if you were travelling back from Ellesmere Port to Rhyl and had to change
buses in Chester, you would have to pay the full fare between Ellesmere Port and Chester, but you would be able travel for free from Chester to Rhyl.

Similar cross border arrangements will exist throughout Welsh border Counties, but it would be advisable to check before you travel.''

Perhaps Scotland has a similar arrangement with cross-border journeys.


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## Brock (Jun 14, 2005)

I thought Central Government funded bus passes through a block grant to local authorities or Travel Concession Authorities. The local authorities or TCAs were given the freedom and flexibility in their use of funding providing they met the statutory requirements. They also had the freedom to enhance the offering to pensioners.

I only have a free pass for Merseyside Travel but it includes buses, trains and ferries. 

It is an overused, almost abused, perk. I've used mine four times in eleven months; I've used the Mersey Tunnel more and I have to pay for taking the van through it.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

What no one has taken into consideration is how the system works.
XYZ council issues their bus passes, they are using money grants from central gov, this they combine with many other grants to keep the amount they need as high as possible, should they fall down to a lower figure then that will be the grant total they will get the following year.
The loss of revenue to councils with the virtual lack of interest payable on savings plays a large part in this. Other investment is considered dangerous these days after the previous fiascos of failing banks here and overseas.



cabby


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## Jamsieboy (Jan 14, 2011)

Bus Pass issued in Scotland is not valid in England.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Jamsieboy said:


> Bus Pass issued in Scotland is not valid in England.


I suppose it's a way of limiting there exposure, but if it was made reciprocal like the National trust it'd benefit more people.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Mrplodd said:


> Personally I think it should be
> a) restricted to journies that start in the holders locality (to include return fares) That would stop people from away taking the p***. If they can afford to take a holiday they can afford to pay for a bus fare,


Andy

I understand your thinking, but such a system would be impractical in some areas, particularly conurbations, e.g. my house is in Barnes so my pass is issued by Richmond-on Thames. If I catch a bus to cross the river about 1.5miles I am in Hammersmith - no problem since I started in Richmond, but the return journey would be from outside Richmond. Similarly if I want to make the journey to Kensington I have to change buses in Hammersmith, so the second bus starts outside Richmond. There must be many other examples round B'Ham, Manchester, Leeds etc.

As for tourist areas being disadvantaged, that may be true but London attracts a lot of English visitors, both business and tourist and including transit passengers going on holiday, so the same applies.

Geoff


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

nicholsong said:


> Well I suppose if the Scots cannot use theirs in England, which I am not sure about, that would be fair enough.
> 
> Of course they are issued and subsidised by your local council, but I have wondered who re-imburses the bus company in Manchester if you use your's there?
> 
> ...


You can only use an English bus pass in England a Scottish one in Scotland etc. In Wales you can get an age concession ticket, but you do pay, at least you did 2 years ago £2.50 I think for all day. 
Sue


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> I'm feeling a bit miffed that I seem to be only able to use my shiny new bus pass in England, not much use as we have the car, but I was hoping it would be valid in Scotland so we could park up and perhaps do a tour of the local area.


Your not even 65 YET


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I forgot to add that in Poland bus and tram are free if you are over 70. All you have to have is some proof of age - driving licence etc.

Geoff


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## Harrers (Dec 21, 2011)

Bus passes in Wales are available at age 60. Is it 65 in other parts of UK?


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

The only buses we see here are school buses. 

Ray.


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## Chrisv (Jun 10, 2007)

Harrers said:


> Bus passes in Wales are available at age 60. Is it 65 in other parts of UK?


It varies. In my area bus passes are issued to men and women who are at the age of a WOMAN who has reached pensionable age. So for instance I got my pass on the same day that a woman (born on the same day as me) got her pension. Which in my case was about 62 and 3 months. As the pensionable age for women is in transition at the moment it will be different for other people. I'm not sure if all English authorities do it this way.

Chris


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Not much support for cross border use it seems then, I'm very unlikely to use it around here, it would have been great to see around some areas where I can actually spend time looking out of the window instead of up the road, in Scotland in particular, a reciprocal arrangement would make it a much more useful thing to have, it's not like I'm going to be spending much time on the bus anyway, the bus will continue to go around it's route, and unless it's full I won't be depriving anyone of a seat.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

nicholsong said:


> I forgot to add that in Poland bus and tram are free if you are over 70. All you have to have is some proof of age - driving licence etc.
> 
> Geoff


Do you have to live in Poland Geoff, or does that apply to anyone ?


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

JanHank said:


> Do you have to live in Poland Geoff, or does that apply to anyone ?


Jan, it just says anyone over 70. There is no card so it just appears that proof of age is enough. I have never been asked to show anything, but nobody does to the driver - only if an inspector gets on.

Geoff


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## klyne (May 10, 2005)

I think the scheme should be extended nationwide. To help finance that I would make a charge for the actual pass, say £10 for all but those who are disabled or are on Pension Credit. 


David


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

N. Ireland is 60, and covers both bus and trains as we have one transport authority which is a stand alone but state owned concern. One good point from the Good Friday agreement ( the peace deal) is that when one becomes 65, you can travel by bus or train, throughout the whole island of Ireland including by ferry to the outlying islands.

Davy


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

We've never bothered applying for bus passes, because:

They would only be valid in Wales and some short cross border routes. This seems unfair, when you consider the tiny size of Wales, compared with England and Scotland.

And, we have no local bus service! There used to be one, but we lost it because there was not sufficient funding. Many people in rural areas have the same problem. Though actually, we are not that far into the sticks - only 6 miles from the largest town in north Wales.

Perhaps if this concession was stopped, there would be enough money for more rural areas to have a bus service.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Good idea gone wrong


What was meant for old age perishers on limited pensions is now regularly abused. People travelling the length of England, because they can, Well off people using it because they're mean/bored 


Give a freebie and it will be abused:frown2:


tony


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

GEMMY said:


> Good idea gone wrong
> 
> Give a freebie and it will be abused
> 
> tony


Stop free NHS, free schools?

Come on Tony, I thought you were a bit more intelligent than to make such a statement.:surprise:

I am sure that 99% of bus pass use is by people who need it. The better-off people probably have cars or can no longer drive for medical reasons, in which case they warrant a pass. Some car users might use a pass instead of driving - if that cuts down on traffic and polution it should be encouraged.

Geoff


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Geoff, to add schools and Nhs into a bus pass thread is beneath you


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

GEMMY said:


> Geoff, to add schools and Nhs into a bus pass thread is beneath you


You made the sweeping generalisation, which was not confined to bus passes, not I.


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## Harrers (Dec 21, 2011)

TeamRienza said:


> N. Ireland is 60, and covers both bus and trains as we have one transport authority which is a stand alone but state owned concern. One good point from the Good Friday agreement ( the peace deal) is that when one becomes 65, you can travel by bus or train, throughout the whole island of Ireland including by ferry to the outlying islands.
> 
> Davy


Does the rest of the UK count as "outlying islands"?


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## homenaway (Jul 27, 2005)

GEMMY said:


> Good idea gone wrong
> 
> What was meant for old age perishers on limited pensions is now regularly abused. People travelling the length of England, because they can, Well off people using it because they're mean/bored
> 
> ...


Do you know how long it would take to travel that far by LOCAL busses not the express ones??

I very much doubt that more than a handful of pensioners have attempted that sort of journey:frown2:

A bus pass isn't compulsory - you don't need to get one if you would rather contribute to Stagecoach's et al profits.

Steve


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

"Do you know how long it would take to travel that far by LOCAL busses not the express ones??

I very much doubt that more than a handful of pensioners have attempted that sort of journey:frown2:"




Ask one of our long serving members about "Frank":laugh:


tony


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

GEMMY said:


> "Do you know how long it would take to travel that far by LOCAL busses not the express ones??
> 
> I very much doubt that more than a handful of pensioners have attempted that sort of journey:frown2:"
> 
> ...


Yeah I remember Frank (Sallytraffic). He set off around the UK on a bus pass. I dont think he was ever heard of again. http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/38-uk-touring/100275-not-strictly-touring.html


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## Revise (May 13, 2012)

Mrplodd said:


> No-one reimburses the local authority. The council tax payers of Weymouth get HAMMERED because its a populat seaside town for pensioners who all use their "free" bus pass. They dont pay anything BUT the bus companies get their money out of the council who get it from whose pocket??? That'll be mine then !!!
> 
> Personally I think it should be
> a) restricted to journies that start in the holders locality (to include return fares) That would stop people from away taking the p***. If they can afford to take a holiday they can afford to pay for a bus fare, and
> B) They should be means tested, I have a friends who are certainly NOT strapped for a few grand, are still in full time employment, yet whenever we go away INSIST on using their bus passes as much as they possibly can, even though they buy a NEW MH every two years??? Not really "right" is it ??


Mr Plodd,

I partly think you are right but whilst them same pensioners are in the area they are using the free bus passes they are also spending their money in the local shops.

As for means tested passes it annoys me also as I have a friend that drives their Bently to the shop and never pays parking charges as they have a disabled badge. Also free VED for the bentley. But my local MP said it would cost more money to means test all the benefits than it would bring in savings. Have disabled parking by all means but we should all pay for a parking space.


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## klyne (May 10, 2005)

There have been lots of studies that suggest that the introduction of bus passes that can be used within the country of residence has improved the well being of older people because it encourages them to be more active. Perhaps a bit tenuous but that could also lead to savings elsewhere like health. Without people using their bus passes I suspect many bus routes would be stopped or frequency reduced. Margaret and I are avid users of our bus passes when away in the motorhome. As a consequence we tend to spend more money in the towns we visit than we did when we caravanned and used the car to visit places. More likely now to have a coffee or a meal out than think we might as well go back to the van. Bus passes are now only issued at retirement age so no one at age 60 gets them anymore unless they are disabled. With the exception of the big cities I suspect the better off pensioners still used their cars rather than use a bus, heave forbid you have to travel with the common people!!! Much more entertaining to travel by public transport.


Just a few stats:- 


In the year 2012/13 there were 9.7 bus passes in use in England


There were 0ne Billion concessionary bus journeys taken that year.


82% of women and 74% of men entitled to concessionary bus travel have bus passes.


David


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## emmbeedee (Oct 31, 2008)

barryd said:


> Yeah I remember Frank (Sallytraffic). He set off around the UK on a bus pass. I dont think he was ever heard of again. http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/38-uk-touring/100275-not-strictly-touring.html


Thanks for posting that link Barry. I remember Frank going on his bus adventure but never got to read his blog. I have now. I don't remember all the floods & disruption in the Newcastle area either, must have been busy at the time.
Frank doesn't seem to post any more so I was surprised to see he is still a subscriber. He was one of the very knowledgeable members "in the old days".


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