Page 4 | Feel like a mug paying for buses in Wales

CaptainArcher · 2025-03-30T22:05:12+00:00

I live in North Wales and the cost of a daily ticket on the bus is now £7.70 a weekly ticket is £28 now… It seems like every time i board the bus I'm the only mug actually paying, i tap on and off with my bank card. Everyone else is a pensioner using their free bus pass, or people my age (30s) have a white pass card.. Which means they're on the sick To make matters worse, i visit across the border sometimes to the Wirral and buses are so much more reasonably.. £2 for a single trip I can drive bus i gave up cars a few years ago to save money and live a more simpler life

DeskJotter · 31/03/2025 10:40

Obvnotthegolden · 31/03/2025 00:33

My grandparents are certainly not poor. They've got a house worth half a million, tons of investments, a car, pensions @CaptainArcher

But the pensioners on the bus aren't like your grandparents, are they op?

i don't know the statistics but most pensioners are not as well off as your grandparents.

According to google North Wales is an area of wealth disparity, having some areas that are the poorest in the UK, and some wealthy areas.

Perhaps your bus is passing through some of these poorer areas where people haven't been able to get their sh*t together.

You sound privileged and entitled and lacking empathy.

Pensioners are the group in the UK least likely to live in poverty.

EilonwyWithRedGoldHair · 31/03/2025 10:39

I've never paid any attention to whether other people getting on the bus were using a pass or paying.

I am annoyed they changed the zones locally so now it's stupidly expensive to take DS to the nearest town by bus - £10 for returns for the two of us. To add insult to injury the distance is walkable, but DS isn't always up to the walk.

Willoo · 31/03/2025 10:36

It amazes me the amount of people who think all pensioners are rich.

Anonymousemouses · 31/03/2025 10:35

evtheria · 31/03/2025 09:48

@AnonymousemousesIn Gtr Manchester the single ticket can be used for more than one trip (ie changing buses at a stop) within an hour of ticket purchase. It may be the same in your area, and might suit your schedule 🤞

Nope it definitely cannot! One trip only (which I've just remembered is now £3 per trip).

There is no reason for competitiveness now. We used to have more than one bus operator, but, unfortunately, the big bus company pulled out of our area last year, leaving us with one company only. They set their fares accordingly, now they have the monopoly.

NImumconfused · 31/03/2025 10:32

Nextdoortomeis · 31/03/2025 09:58

Considering that Wales and Scotland get free prescriptions (don't know if northern Ireland do) for everyone.
Why not charge a smaller fee for all of the UK countries.

More concerned about that than bus prices.

We do indeed have free prescriptions in Northern Ireland - the argument at the time the charge was removed was that the vast majority of people getting prescriptions were exempt for one reason or another (85% from memory), so the cost of running the bureaucracy to charge the remainder was more than the charges were actually bringing in.

Dearg · 31/03/2025 10:32

Lovelysummerdays · 31/03/2025 10:22

Well it’s not restricted but it’s really common for people to get on the bus going from Perth to Edinburgh and then come right back. It’s just really somewhere warm to sit and chat. Possibly cheaper/ more sensible ways to give people somewhere warm to chat.

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My gran used to take my sister and I on bus trips like this when we stayed with her for a holiday. She did have to pay though , but is was the 1960s and Grandad was a clippie so it was probably a cheap day out.

ArtTheClownIsNotAMime · 31/03/2025 10:25

Why don't you go "on the sick" and get a white card?

Coffeeishot · 31/03/2025 10:25

Lovelysummerdays · 31/03/2025 10:22

Well it’s not restricted but it’s really common for people to get on the bus going from Perth to Edinburgh and then come right back. It’s just really somewhere warm to sit and chat. Possibly cheaper/ more sensible ways to give people somewhere warm to chat.

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I don't see the harm they are doing really, isolation and loneliness in the elderly is common a bus jaunt breaks up their day, and I'm sure not all buses are full to the brim every day with pensioners that nobody else can get a seat !

Bumpitybumper · 31/03/2025 10:24

KimberleyClark · 31/03/2025 10:09

I got my free bus pass mainly as an extra, portable form of photo id for voting etc as I don’t have a photo driving licence, only a paper one and don’t want to take my passport everywhere when it’s not necessary. I’ve used it a couple of times but mostly drive. As Horus says, I’ve paid taxes all my life, and never claimed benefits.

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I've paid an awful lot of tax and never claimed benefits including Child Benefit. By your logic, why can't I get a bus pass as I am a net contributor? I imagine I have paid an awful lot more into the system than many 65+ year olds already. Also does your logic mean that those pensioners that haven't paid in much tax and claimed a lot of benefits shouldn't be entitled to the bus pass?

SapphireOpal · 31/03/2025 10:23

babasaclover · 31/03/2025 09:52

I wouldn’t be it’s ending soon.

also I’d prefer the free prescriptions. Needed 4 this month so that costed me just under £40 🤮

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Can't you get a prepayment certificate?

Lovelysummerdays · 31/03/2025 10:22

Coffeeishot · 31/03/2025 10:02

I didn't know buses were for essential journeys only ?

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Well it’s not restricted but it’s really common for people to get on the bus going from Perth to Edinburgh and then come right back. It’s just really somewhere warm to sit and chat. Possibly cheaper/ more sensible ways to give people somewhere warm to chat.

Lovelysummerdays · 31/03/2025 10:16

Springee · 31/03/2025 10:11

We still have £2 buses here.

Regarding retired people - they can't use their cards during commuting hours so it isn't quite the freebie the OP would need

They are called twirlies by the bus drivers round here as often chance their luck before 9:30. Oh am I too early? and off they get.

Springee · 31/03/2025 10:11

We still have £2 buses here.

Regarding retired people - they can't use their cards during commuting hours so it isn't quite the freebie the OP would need

KimberleyClark · 31/03/2025 10:09

Hortus · 31/03/2025 03:04

I live in south Wales and before I was 60 I used the bus once a year to go home when my car was being serviced, otherwise I drove everywhere or used trains to go to London. It was cheaper to drive and park than to get the bus.

Since I got my free bus pass at 60 I do use the bus a lot more, I now never drive and park in Cardiff although I still drive to most other places as the bus service isn't great.

I'm one of the people like your grandparents. I have a £500k house, nice car, investments, pension etc. I applied for my bus pass because I'm entitled to it, I've paid taxes all my working life, paid tens of thousands to Cardiff council in council tax, the only benefits I ever took in my life was child benefit.

So quite honestly I can't see that giving me a free bus pass which I use less than once a week is a problem.

I got my free bus pass mainly as an extra, portable form of photo id for voting etc as I don’t have a photo driving licence, only a paper one and don’t want to take my passport everywhere when it’s not necessary. I’ve used it a couple of times but mostly drive. As Horus says, I’ve paid taxes all my life, and never claimed benefits.

Bumpitybumper · 31/03/2025 10:06

Chersfrozenface · 31/03/2025 10:02

It could be both.

I'd like to know whether the OP's car-owning parents have got themselves bus passes. You have to apply for them, they don't just magically appear in the post.

And if they do have passes, do they use them? Or do they just use the car they own?

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I don't know about the OP but my parents and in laws all have bus passes and regular use them. They are relatively well off and own cars too.

Augustus40 · 31/03/2025 10:04

It is £3 most places now. The cap was lifted March this year.

I pay £2.70 to get to the local shops.

Lurkingandlearning · 31/03/2025 10:02

CaptainArcher · 30/03/2025 23:16

Why should old people be equated with poor people? They've had an entire lifetime to get their sh*t together.

My grandparents are certainly not poor. They've got a house worth half a million, tons of investments, a car, pensions, but they get sent the magic free bus white card through the door from the Labour party in Cardiff.

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People as wealthy as your grandparents don’t have to use their bus pass, they can pay the bus fare if they want. But they probably don’t travel on buses as they have cars.

The people you see on buses using passes are probably not as wealthy as your grandparents. And being wealthy isn’t just a question of getting your shit together. If it was that simple we’d all be just like your grandparents.

Why do fares cost so much more there than in England?

Chersfrozenface · 31/03/2025 10:02

Bumpitybumper · 31/03/2025 09:47

Read this post and the post above it to see two completely contradictory arguments.

Either it's only the poor and infirm that are using the bus passes anyway so it's be default means tested

Or

The bus passes are being used by car owning pensioners that would otherwise have been clogging up the roads

You can't really have it both ways.

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It could be both.

I'd like to know whether the OP's car-owning parents have got themselves bus passes. You have to apply for them, they don't just magically appear in the post.

And if they do have passes, do they use them? Or do they just use the car they own?

Coffeeishot · 31/03/2025 10:02

thankyounextplease · 31/03/2025 10:01

They could be, I know pensioners who get the bus for fun to "get their money's worth." Never mind that NHS workers have to stand after a 12 hour shift as long as they're having a good time.

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I didn't know buses were for essential journeys only ?

thankyounextplease · 31/03/2025 10:01

Obvnotthegolden · 31/03/2025 00:33

My grandparents are certainly not poor. They've got a house worth half a million, tons of investments, a car, pensions @CaptainArcher

But the pensioners on the bus aren't like your grandparents, are they op?

i don't know the statistics but most pensioners are not as well off as your grandparents.

According to google North Wales is an area of wealth disparity, having some areas that are the poorest in the UK, and some wealthy areas.

Perhaps your bus is passing through some of these poorer areas where people haven't been able to get their sh*t together.

You sound privileged and entitled and lacking empathy.

They could be, I know pensioners who get the bus for fun to "get their money's worth." Never mind that NHS workers have to stand after a 12 hour shift as long as they're having a good time.

Nextdoortomeis · 31/03/2025 09:58

Considering that Wales and Scotland get free prescriptions (don't know if northern Ireland do) for everyone.
Why not charge a smaller fee for all of the UK countries.

More concerned about that than bus prices.

Neversayit · 31/03/2025 09:58

CaptainArcher · 30/03/2025 23:16

Why should old people be equated with poor people? They've had an entire lifetime to get their sh*t together.

My grandparents are certainly not poor. They've got a house worth half a million, tons of investments, a car, pensions, but they get sent the magic free bus white card through the door from the Labour party in Cardiff.

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Do they use buses much though?
You said they have a car.

It may be different in cities, but I live more rurally (though near a small town) and wealthier older people don’t tend to use buses much, if at all.
Those on a budget are the ones who use them.

BatchCookBabe · 31/03/2025 09:55

Hey @CaptainArcher Maybe you should send a message to Keir Starmer, see if he can take the bus passes away from the elderly and the disabled too! Why not? I mean it's not like they need them hey? 🙄

#sarcasm

MrsCarson · 31/03/2025 09:53

Check the train price DiL now catches the train to work as it's only £2.50 each way (also North Wales)

Goinggonegone · 31/03/2025 09:53

You don't have to be "on the sick" to have a bus pass in Wales. You can be given one for having a medical condition that means you are unable to drive