Bus passes

I believe we pay for our bus pass in our council tax

My mother is 96 and still uses her bus pass. If she was charged £20 it would just mean something else for me to pay for. Not all senior citizens have a flexible budget.

More than happy to pay for it. I don't understand why there is no annual charge.

I think there should be a charge somehow
An annual contribution would cost money to raise. So either a pound for each journey. Still cheap! And you would be paying then according to use
OR ten pounds off the annual money for winter fuel? If u try to means test it will cost a fortune in administration and some will fiddle the system.

I would fight to the death for my Freedom Pass which allows me free travel on buses and underground and so would everyone I know. What annoys me more (in London) is the free travel for schoolchildren. Can't tell you how often I see (often overweight) teens taking a bus two stops - and behaving appallingly. They need to be walking!

I do not have a bus pass, no point as there's no bus to use it on.

We don't get bus passes in our area. We used to get a train pass, but that has been dropped now too. Bit difficult for those elderly people who don't have a car or who cannot drive.

I use mine at least twice a week and save about £11 60. Which is getting on for £500 a year .I'd certainly be prepared to make a contribution but I think it could put off a lot of older/less well off pensioners There is a lady near us who goes out every day on the bus as much for company/something to do
And if it became as expensive as using the car/parking then I'd use the car which is not good for all sorts of reasons

I still drive everywhere (not round London now)although they did give me a bus pass when I reached 60. If I lived about 2 miles down the road I would get all travel free as London Boroughs get this. When I go to Town with friends from my WI I pay £12 for an all day travel card & they get the whole lot free. Another thing they thank Boris for.

I rely totally on my bus/tram/train pass - it allows me, as a disabled carer of 2 other people, to get out of the house to attend hospital appointments, do a bit of shopping, go to a gentle exercise class once a week and is a lifeline. It's all right for those who can drive, have a reasonable income etc to say that we should pay for our travel, but I couldn't afford it - would be forced to use taxis (an extremely poor local bus service as it is).

I would be lost without my bus pass. I have a bit of a disability so cannot carry too much at one time. Regular trips on the bus to town to shop would cost too much on a basic pension so i do use the pass a lot.
I do get a bit fed up with the sarcastic comments from some younger more able people but content myself with the thought that one day they themselves may be in my position & resent having the mean comments thrown at them.
Long live my bus pass ?

aalule I think the local authority pay a block sum for it according to the records of how much it was used in the previous year (or maybe an average of several years)

I would go along with excluding peak travelling periods in the morning and afternoon, and encouraging holders to use it at off-peak times when buses are not busy. It is more pleasant to travel then anyway, when you are retired and are not forced to stand on a crowded bus to work.

seasidelady I think an annual charge sounds like a good idea. My friends who use theirs regularly would still be quids in!

Ajanela I live in Bournemouth and I also have an UNUSED bus pass.
Conversely when we've fancied taking an open top bus ride to Swanage for example, we've literally given up because every bus is full of tourists! Two sides to every story.

I love my bus pass. DH and I have used it all over the country and we can use it on local trains. I would be willing to pay a fee but I think there are some older people for whom the bus pass is a lifeline. Some people wouldn't be able to afford to pay and it would mean they would never get out.

I don't know about the finances of this scheme. Is it paid for by government or local authorities? Do they just pay according to how much it is used, or a set amount?
I wouldn't mind making a contribution if it increased the viability of the bus service - ours has just been cut from one an hour, to one every two hours, and is always packed.

I would be happy to pay a fee but I think the bus passes should be free once you are,say, 80. I think a fee for the older people might put them off going out .

I would love a bus pass but I am one of the ones that won't receive it till I am 67 I lI've in West Yorkshire my husband retired 3 years ago and winter get his till he's 64 as I have an on going illness I need the buses but I would love it if the government would bring in half fares for us stuck in this trap. We would be able to explore more but if we go out now it costs us £8 40 for the buses which would pay for lunch so please enjoy your passes but someone please think about us

Shall we try a meet up, Blinko?!

Hear, hear. I would be very happy to pay something towards my bus fares. I know it encourages us wrinklies to use public transport, and that is good.
Surely they should be means tested. Those on only the basic pensions and benefits pay nothing; those who have an additional pension could pay a small contribution towards some altruistic scheme - Social Care, NHS or whatever. Something like £1 per trip.

I'm grateful for my bus pass. We are lucky as it also lets us travel free of charge on trains and trams within the West Mids conurbation, as Elrel says, after 9.30am.

Whenever the contract for Centro (the West Mids version of TfL) becomes due, there's a move in some quarters to charge pensioners on trains and trams. I would be more than happy to pay half fare if it would help to retain this excellent benefit.

I can't see that this would be difficult to implement. After all, children pay half fare already, don't they? Just extend it to pensioners.

no charge please a small amount would cost possible more to administrate
and the temptation to raise would always be present
i love my free pass

We pay full fare on West Midlands buses and trains before 9.30, a token £1 on routes run by a smaller bus company. I appreciate the convenience of my bus pass and would certainly pay at least £20 annually to avoid having to find change and hold up other passengers, even £1 would be a source of irritation.
I have never heard any negative remarks from either young people or bus drivers. The latter should be reported. I know we're dubbed 'Twirlies' by some drivers due to our congregating at bus stops by 9:25 and asking 'Am I too early?' but don't mind that. Some drivers of buses a few minutes too early let us on and tell us to 'ding in' as we alight.

In Bournemouth often the tourists can't get on the busses because they are full of pensioners travelling free.

Bus passes have the benifit of keeping elderly drivers off the road. Gets people out to do their shopping, visit friends, attend events and in the process keeps them fitrer and healthier.

I am sure there is going to have to be a rethink about free bus passes especially in view of money needed for care. It is good if pensioners can have their say but lets be logical and fair and not try to hang on to something for free just because we have it.

To all over 60 Ellen that's good, I can't get one in my area until I'm receiving my pension at 67.