to think new mums should be given free bus travel?

[bella411]

I know there's a recession and it is more an idealism but why couldn't / shouldn't new mums have free bus travel during their maternity leave run much in the same way as pensioner bus travel. Money is often tight they have appointments to go to such as drs and health centre and maybe even hospitsl visits.

My "local" play groups are all not really walking distance, neither is my drs. Also visiting friends and family I have to rely on them picking me up or public transport.

Where I live the public transport is good and reasonably priced £3.40 for unlimited daily travel.

But I feel in free bus passes were given it may help encourage some new mums to get out and visit more playgroups and maybe even get out more.

What do other people think?

YABU - ridiculous idea!

And the money they would lose would have to be made up elsewhere so they would just whack fares up for everyone else.

I am fairly sure the bus companies wouldn't be keen on free fares for school age children either - most of the bus drivers find them a bit challenging and get annoyed by them trashing the bus every day.

Never mind a bloody Massuse, I'd like a babysitter voucher, a takeaway voucher & a voucher for an hour with Michael Fassbender

"I am fairly sure the bus companies wouldn't be keen on free fares for school age children either - most of the bus drivers find them a bit challenging and get annoyed by them trashing the bus every day."

In my area most faith schools have their own transport service. Drivers who hate children need not apply. It is unfair that if you want to send your child to a faith school you have to find £900 per year. Until two years ago transport to faith schools was free.

Prehaps what is more unfair is that parents have to pay for transport to special school. Unlike faith school parents, special school parents have no option.

And have to spend time clearing up from where they have ripped up newspapers, thrown litter, spilled drinks and generally been a pita!

And there are hardly any bus services around here exclusively for schools so the children use the public ones.

I don't think the bus drivers randomly 'hate' schoolchildren but find them a pita for the reasons stated above.

Id love a hair cut too, but that money is used for bis fare!

I think new mums should pay a premium. Taking up seat space with buggies. It's ridiculous.

Ok so I don't think that, but yabu. My idea is just as unrealistic as yours.

AbbeyBartlet Teens can be a pain up the arse, and this why schools tend to have their own bus service so that its easy to identify and punish naughty children.

I think that that new mums should be provided with a free ration of chocolate biscuits and wine, especially if they are breastfeeding!

And how would this scheme be funded? The most likely way seems to be that everyone else will have to foot the bill.

So shall we just increase fares for all men and for women without children?

There are no specialist bus services in our area except for the private schools - the state school children use the public bus network.

All the non breeders could pay extra and even ebtra forpeople who take up 2 seats and think their shopping bags need a seat. Easily dkne

Easily done!

Plus small fines for people who use disabled seats when shouldn't dont move for prams or wheelchairs so they can use the area when other seats are available. and also for the impolite people who do not give up seats for elderly etc. Buses could make a fortune.

"Personally I'd rather people on JSA got free bus transport, for trips to the job centre and interviews and training. It used to cost my dad a significant amount to get a return journey to the nearest job centre."

Depending on where you live and if you sign up to a job scheme, you can get bus passes, or daily fares paid for.

If a woman is on Income Support, she can get travel costs to appointments.

Our three local Children's Centers (in vet "disadvantaged" areas) provide "out and about packs", each family is entitled to one a week.

A Saveaway, disposable camera and a pass to a local attraction, usually Farm etc is included.

It does depend on where you live, but there are some schemes available for really struggling new/young children Mums.

And anyway you get fairs refunded from the jobcentre/courses. Or you used to anyway.

No, there are skint new mums and loaded new mums.

Not all new mums need this.

I think free bus transport should be given to young parents, schoolchildren and students, pensioners and the disabled. The economic and social benefits would outweigh the cost. Less cars on the road, pensioners, young parents and the disabled more likely to go out and about and use local facilities, get together, enjoy coffees etc. Teenagers would have more freedom, less likely to be ferried around in the family car, able to get to school college and part time work. More independence for everyone!

Bus companies kept in business and jobs secured. Money well spent.

Add to the above those seeking work

Bird that sounds great for your local children's centre to do that! Love that idea and it isn't one used here. I hope it is done in more than one area.

gamer when I last signed on in 2008, you got refunded for any courses the job centre made you go on, but going to sign on or going to an interview/handing in applications/meeting employers wasn't refunded.

One week I had three interviews and almost all my dole money went on getting to them. Didn't get any of the jobs either, to add insult to injury.

I have never heard of any of my clients getting help with transport costs from the job centre.

A ridiculous idea. Why don't people learn to drive before they have children? I can think of nothing more stressful than getting on a bus with a newborn.

If you gave new mums free bus travel, can I get free petrol please?

No. Pregnancy and carrying a child to term is a choice. A choice that, we should be grateful that I and many others have made, for the survival of humanity, but a choice nonetheless.
As bus fares are extortionate (I live in London and even though it is more economical for people to use an Oystercard , to me it still is costly) I really do not see why more tax payers money should be used to subsidise mostly healthily bodied people (pregnancy and childbirth is usually not an illness) who made a choice.
Disabled and incapacitated and the elderly do not have a choice in their condition. Most elderly people have made a long and constant monetary contribution to the economy.
Every time a woman (I mention "woman" because if push comes to shove, more time WE make the childcare decisions) gets pregnant and chooses to go full term, I really do feel that she should factor in how physically lazy she is, how supported she will be and what her local facilities are like. This especially should be taken into consideration if she knows that she will be a single mother, because like it, or not, it's hard.
Sorry if I come over harsh, but children have been born from time. Even if an "accident" occurs, nine months is a pretty long time to adjust and realise that for the next eighteen years (at least) more physicality and mental agility is going to be needed in one's transition from "non mother" to "mother".