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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think kids should go free on buses?

167 replies

3asAbird · 21/12/2013 09:08

I know they do travel free in london if under 16.

here its free until 5

but most of time they never ask me to pay for 7year old.

really depends what bus drivers we get.
fares seem to vary on same route like they made a na error.

everyone moans about first bus and how extortionate they are.
they never on time
bus drivers can be rude and seem to hate kids.

one had go at me for giving him change think there was few coppers with the silver.

ours frequently dont have change and give change tickets which have to eb take to bus station or first shop which means frequenly i never see the money back.

i rarly take the bus with kids as its flipping stressful

but sometimes from local high street as the main road long abut mile if weathers bad its now £1.50 each way so return would cost £3 for 1mile.
day riders £4 each and family day rider £10 but worked out summer sometimes cheaper hubby drive into city centre and park.

anyway last night we did some shopping food up high street. cash machine wasent working so had £1.50 on me, it was dark and raining.

kids asked if we take bus so girls sat down 2younger ones under 5 3kids.

the bus driver dident argue she wanted eldest to pay due to age.

she said was first rules only 2free kids with 1 fullpaying adults.
never heard that rule before, some could say when you chanced it and lost.

so we had to get off shame of everyone on bus looking.
small boy crying in his buggy.
we were only going like 3 stops .

some of you might say aibu you should pay you fare ddger but rules seem to vary on driver and route they shouldent never know what to expect.

i hate taking bus most of time as people can be so horrid.

last time had 2 oaps have go at me over my well behaved kids.
got off stop early.

we live distance from school bus that bus route so unreliable and would work out so expensive we walk the 1.2 miles.

myself and kids quite used to walking now so often walk what most people say long distances not helped by some areas even close by ones being 2buses.

often theres not enough room many buggies.

but i have been thinking last few months/

hear people say what strain bus fees are to senior schools £60 a month here yet educations pretty much compulsary unless you home ed and you get whichever school council allocate you.

even if within 2miles can be long walk for little reception child.

i wonder what happens with unemployed and job centre?
as nearest job centres 6miles £6 return or 4miles,2buses £4.

my 2 wealthy car driving neighbours with their free bus passes are often going on nice shopping trips or days out with theres.

which makes me think.

why oaps get free travel but not kids?

im lucky every things walkable and rarly rely on bus but for those who do must be huge cost.

so every time i walk up long rd in wet/snow and see bus whizz past with mostly oaps i think god the uks so fair not!

OP posts:
NiceTabard · 21/12/2013 12:17

If there's a will the money is there. We spend a lot of money on things that many people don't agree with at all. The budget is what it is and choices are made, at the moment choices which assist people are very unpopular. Hopefully things will change in a few years.

The difficulty at the moment I think is that with the economic situation and the spin from certain areas, the conversation has turned to not what is good for society and beneficial to improving quality of life, but looking at other people and saying "WAH they get something I don't. TAKE IT AWAY". It's all a bit sad really. People saying that 5yo shouldn't go free on a bus because they are a PITA. I mean, for crying out loud.

All I know is it works well in London. And that lack of ability to get around is a serious problem for many people whether due to circumstance or location.

Andrewofgg · 21/12/2013 12:17

CompoShat, I'm not wealthy but I'm not on the breadline, I'm not a pensioner but I'm turned sixty, I live in London and I have my 60+ card.

I've lived here since I was 13, paid fares, rates, community charge, council tax, for previous over-sixties to have a free pass, and now it's my turn.

And people live happier, healthier and longer if they can get out and about and not frowst at home.

Does that answer your point?

ilovesooty · 21/12/2013 12:18

Why is it ageism to suggest that NT children can walk short distances?

TheCrackFox · 21/12/2013 12:19

I would love it if children went free.

If they are free in London then it must be possible for this to be rolled out nationwide.

OhYouMerryLittleKitten · 21/12/2013 12:20

Round here it would really cut the school run traffic if parents could afford the bus.

LucyLasticKnickers · 21/12/2013 12:21

Why is it ageism to suggest that NT children can walk short distances?

not so, it is ageism to say Why SHould the OAPs get free travel. when they enjoy it so much!

LucyLasticKnickers · 21/12/2013 12:28

um, I mean it is ageism to criticise OAPS for using the bus

it is not one or the other!

ilovesooty · 21/12/2013 12:28

I think it would be a good idea to encourage more people to use public transport by investing in it, renationalising it and running it as a no profit enterprise to benefit all as they do in other countries. That would mean it would be more attractive as a choice for everyone.

Much better than offering free transport to children imo.

SmiteYouWithThunderbolts · 21/12/2013 12:34

Our local bus company don't issue child tickets before 9am unless you have a photo card ID from the council that entitles you to them. So if you're trying to get the kids to school and don't have this bloody card (which is a PITA to get, by the way) you have to pay full adult fare for any child over the age of 5.

I'm all for everyone using public transport more, but round here it's just shit for how expensive it is. And it's unreliable. There need to be some real changes to make it worth the effort and money over using a car if they want to appeal to the masses.

AmberLeaf · 21/12/2013 12:37

I in some ways like that children travel free on London buses, [my children walk to school] but I am heartily fucked off with rarely being able to use a bus at school chucking out time.

The buses are full of lazy arsed kids who are only on there because it is free.

They get on for 1/2/3? stops, so they don't need a bus at all.

I am starting to think it should go back to the old way of issuing bus passes for those who live 3miles+ from school [secondary] and let the rest walk.

I agree with under11s being free though.

AmberLeaf · 21/12/2013 12:38

*school chucking out time = 3pm through till 5pm

Whathaveiforgottentoday · 21/12/2013 12:38

Free bus travel for kids has made some incredibly lazy. I drive past kids who wait for a bus to take them 2 stops, which would would be about 10 mins walk. I wouldn't dream of jumping on a bus for that short distance even now, let alone when I was young.

However, I do like like having free bus travel for under 16's in London.

ilovesooty · 21/12/2013 12:39

Smite agree with you on the last point. However most forms of transport all over the country ime don't operate free tickets or concessionary fares while people are travelling to work.

Whathaveiforgottentoday · 21/12/2013 12:40

Amber , x posted.

ilovesooty · 21/12/2013 12:42

I think a child between 6 and 11 should be quite capable in most cases of walking for a couple of miles and doesn't need free transport.

SoonToBeSix · 21/12/2013 12:42

Yes my dd no longer gets a free bus pass since they changed the rules. Her school is six miles away and she is in year ten not sixth form.

JohnnyBarthes · 21/12/2013 12:44

Ditto, Kitten.

ilovesooty · 21/12/2013 12:46

Soon is that her nearest school? It seems harsh not to at least offer a concessionary fare if that's the case.

Retropear · 21/12/2013 12:50

Yanbu

London is not reality for the maj of people.Many of us have a 20 odd mile trip to get to a city or 5/10 miles along dodgy roads to get to the nearest town.

Most OAPs I know have the newest cars and use the bus for lunch/pub trips out so they can drink.

At best bus passes for OAPs should be means tested. Families with adults born in the 60s or 70s are worse off than their parents,could do with help such as the above and will never in a million years have bus passes themselves.

If we can justify a universal benefit for OAPs it should be reciprocated for kids.

Bloodybridget · 21/12/2013 12:52

I'm in London and while I don't at all object to children travelling free of charge, I do purse my lips when they get on a crowded bus to travel one or two stops. By the same token, having a travelcard makes me lazier too; I know I'd walk more if I was paying for every journey.

Bloodybridget · 21/12/2013 12:55

Just noticed posts above saying exactly the same thing, sorry!

JohnnyBarthes · 21/12/2013 12:56

Here (semi-rural) a travel card would probably make us less lazy - rather than running ds to various clubs for example I'd send him on the bus.

ilovesooty · 21/12/2013 13:00

Well Retropear not all OAPs are in the same position as the ones you know.
By the same token all children don't come from families of similar wealth and means.

soverylucky · 21/12/2013 13:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AmberLeaf · 21/12/2013 13:01

I think a child between 6 and 11 should be quite capable in most cases of walking for a couple of miles and doesn't need free transport

What if their parent isn't capable though? should the kids run alongside the bus that Mum is on?