Genius or not in the spirit?

[Electronicmind]

We were talking about the bus passes. Some people thought they are a necessity to be protected at all costs, no one's going to use the buses unless they need to. Others felt they're too easily available to people who don't need them. E.g my parents haven never used a bus since they left school, have two good cars, but still use the bus quite a bit now it's free.

A tale was told of a retired couple who plan a month's back packing holiday on their bus pass every year. They're not in need financially, but see it as a fun challenge to see how far they can get and what value they can get on their pass.

Brilliant and good for them, or not really what the scheme's about?

Good for them.

The more cars off the road, the better.

We should be facilitating the use of public transport instead of cars so I think they should crack on. Also, means testing these things is often more administratively and financially costly than just issuing universally by age.

Good for them, sounds like a bit of an adventure!

Like pp said, more people using public transport is better than them using individual cars. So, obviously people using the bus instead of cars is a good thing.

More people on buses can keep rural routes operational.

This. I once did The Pennines by bus quite a few years ago. I had to take loads of buses (it was back when Translink was THE site to plan journeys, it's been discontinued by the govt now, so it's harder to route plan across methods of public transport). I did pay for my tickets but I was the only person on some of those buses and I do wonder what became of those services. Perhaps if more people did things like this couple we'd have a better bus service. Use it or lose it.

If people who are entitled to use them don't use them... then what could happen is what has happened round here.

A lot of the rural bus services between local villages and the nearby towns in my area have been axed completely because not enough people were using them. It means that students can't get to college, elderly folk who no longer drive can't get to the doctor, the bank, the post office, the shops, the railway station or the hospital, and people on low incomes who can't afford a car (but can manage the bus fare) can't get to work.

If people have a bus pass even though they don't 'need' one, I'd rather they used it and kept the rural bus services busy.

The hiking holiday couple should be paid by the bus services to do a vlog.

The more you make buses and using the bus service an option of last resort, which is what would happen if you means tested the free passes, the fewer people will use the bus. It will be seen as the equivalent of poorly branded charity shops.

Presenting the bus as a fun and easy service used by people who are not dirt poor is a great way to increase bus use, which in turn can cut down car use.

Yes, I think it's a great idea. I've done a few holidays by train and love that too, but I've never thought of the buses. It makes me want to have a go.

It's not exactly "genius" to use your free bus pass to...y'know...travel on buses.

It's quite clever to plan a touring holiday on a pass intended for local journeys, isn't it?

It's quite clever to plan a touring holiday on a pass intended for local journeys, isn't it?

Who says that the pass is only intended for local journeys?

If that were the case then surely the pass would only work locally.

If the pass works everywhere then it is intended to be used everywhere.

Sorry if I am being obtuse but the pass either works everywhere or it only works locally - in which case they wouldn't be able to plan a touring holiday anyway.

Who says it's for local journeys? I used to go on Megabus trips all over the country with my bus pass.

Good for them, in both cases.

Perhaps people with ‘2 good cars’ could downsize and use up
less finite resources and pollute the planet less, and it’s nice to see people’s travels by bus publicised. It shows others what is possible.

I live in London, have a (modest) car and now have a 60+ Oyster. I wouldn’t dream of contributing to traffic and pollution for any journey where I have time and my free card will take me.

Others felt they're too easily available to people who don't need them. E.g my parents haven never used a bus since they left school, have two good cars, but still use the bus quite a bit now it's free.

If your parents are using the buses then surely they DO need the card? Better for the environment than using their cars.

Does the boomer hatred burn so bright that you begrudge your own parents a poxy bus pass?

LOL @Butchyrestingface I went to mop the floor and returned to see if anyone had used the word boomer yet and a rant about their grasping bus travelling ways 😂. Thankfully though most PP are supportive in this case.

I don't begrudge them no and I agree getting any cars off the road is a good thing, but others felt they are intended for little old ladies who don't have any other way to get to the doctor

they are intended for little old ladies who don't have any other way to get to the doctor

Intention changes with society. Now it's even more meaningful if more people swap cars to public transport when they can.

"little old ladies" - have I fallen into an ageist rabbit hole? That's a horribly dismissive turn of phrase.

The more cars off the road the better. The more users of buses, the greater the chance of expansion to services.

And be very wary of supporting cuts to pensioner services - if you want any to be left for future generations.

I have an elderly relative who lives rurally and she often is the only one on the bus there and back when she goes to the nearest town.

On a few occasions she has been stranded when they have randomly cancelled a return bus or more and I have had to drive (over an hour) to get her and take her home.

I do take her shopping but she wants to be as independent as possible and get out and about by herself.

Buses have increasingly had their services cut so the more people that use them even for a joyride out is the house, the better do her.

Why not? You wouldn't think anything of it if they spent a month touring with a caravan, and this is far more eco-friendly.

I don't understand 'not in the spirit'. The busses will run whether I'm on it or not. And as you say it's far better for the environment if I take a bus rather than my car.
It's not need based but why should it be? Getting butts in busses and out of cars is a good enough reason and benefits everyone.