Everyone in the UK that is 60+ should get free local train and bus travel at any time

[magapiemag]

Why is it just people in London that get this? Everyone 60+ should get this to make it a fair system. Plenty are 60+ and not retired so still work and free bus and train travel would be a very welcomed. Is this more of London creaming the goodies for its self and letting the rest of the country with a inferior service?

Who exactly is going to pay for this?

If there's a case for anything, it would be still working 60+ in London not getting it, rather than rolling the scheme out nationwide.

In London it is only off peak iirc.

Pensioners in other areas get free travel as well. for example where I live it's free after 9.30am on the bus.

Not sure why the over 60s who are still working should get free bus and train travel at any time. Surely they can pay for their own rush hour travel like the rest of the working population.

Why? Most still work and is also the group with high disposable income. Why should they get free travel and everyone else pays more to subsidise it?

If anything kids should get free travel, but genuinely I can't understand why anyone should.

Who exactly is going to pay for this?

This is the key point! Personally, I don't support age based benefits for anyone. Rich pensioners should not be entitled to state benefits; poor pensioners should be entitled to more. Seems daft, especially as the impact of rising house prices means that some groups of over 60s are among the richest in society.

My mum (OAP) does the "Oh, we've paid in all our lives" line. Drives me mad! It is a welfare state, not a Christmas club!

Why should only 60+ working people get it? They're statistically the least likely to need it.

Give it to under 25s who are far more likely to need the boost

(I'm not under 25)

It's meant to be the UK! But there's inconsistencies between the member countries. Free prescriptions for all and free bus travel for 60+ women in Scotland. School children up to a certain age also get free travel on tube/bus in London. Correct me please if I've got this wrong.

We're Scots who live in NW England. Such a lot of poverty around us. My Dh informs me that London is London centric in its outlook because the whole country would fail financially if London itself failed. Who knows.

Why not make it free for everyone, all the time?
If 'it would be welcomed' is the only criteria we are using to justify this, I'm putting my name forward...

Chip on your shoulder about London OP?

It's free off peak, much like many other parts of the country.

But let's not let facts get in the way of a good moan about "That London".

I'd argue that a priority is getting reduced price travel for 16-19 year olds. They all have to be in education or training, yet end up having to pay full price for travel in many areas, causing huge hardship for lots of families and restricting choice of education establishment.

Both my parents get free bus travel and have since they turned retirement age. They have a larger disposable income than my (two adults working) family do and have a car each. Maybe it would be better to be means tested.

We are the 6th richest country in the world, there is the money to help older people get out and about!

The London one is for anytime:

How much do I save?
You can travel free at any time using your 60+ London Oyster photocard on:

Buses in London showing the red roundel
Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and TfL Rail - and take up to four under-11s with you for free

tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/adult-discounts-and-concessions/60-london-oyster

I agree that younger people (still in education) should get this also :)

Many pensioners don't own a home and it's ridiculous to say everyone over 60 is well off!

Means testing it would be expensive and probably cost more than the savings.

Why do you think working 60 year old should get free travel? They will have more disposable income than under 25 or people with children.

I don't see this going well.

If 'it would be welcomed' is the only criteria we are using to justify this, I'm putting my name forward...

I'll put my name second on the list. Would save me about 1K a year in travel to work.

On a serious note, the bus companies are already having to make cutbacks to local routes to save money. I don't think making more passengers eligible for free travel is going to help. You can't ask paying passengers to subsidise it more than they already are.

Is this more of London creaming the goodies for its self and letting the rest of the country with a inferior service?

This is a line that was trotted out a lot in the summer. Put a bit crassly, it is the other way round - all the money comes from London and is redistributed to the rest of the country. Look at our current account deficit. All we have (had?) is financial services....

I've just turned 56 and the idea that I should automatically have any benefit like this in 4 years time seems peculiar.

As kitten says, travel pricing for 16-19 yos should be sorted, ridiculous to make them pay full fare when they have limited or no earning potential but really do need to travel.

But outside london, prices are often a bit irrelevant if there isn't decent public transport anyway.

We are the 6th richest country in the world, there is the money to help older people get out and about!

Again, by that logic why don't we just provide all public transport for free? People would love it, it would boost the economy...

Chucking more money at the boomers is fairly low down my list of priorities for the state......and I know it's not all of them etc, but certainly my parents and the parents of all my friends have vastly more money than their children have, or will ever have, due to the vast difference in property prices and cost of living when they were raising their families 30 to 40 years ago.

I actually don't think older persons should get automatic entitlement from 60 - most are still working or affluent enough and drive cars. Maybe from 70 or 75 but more importantly youngsters should get free travel at least until 18. They have less income, fewer can drive and often have to travel to school so cost parents a small fortune. Many students are living in poverty so could do with it more than pensioners.

No. If everyone had to pay then maybe we could lower the costs for everybody. Then we could encourage more people into using public transport and cut carbon emissions.

Why are people suddenly unable to pay £6 a day to get to work when they turn 60?

Didn't think it would take long for boomers to get a mention.

Incidentally I don't see why anyone should get free travel at 60 especially if they're working.

Just to piss you off some more OP I shall be off out presently using my Disabled Person's Freedom Pass to get MY free travel. Paid for by the lovely taxpayers of this fair city. Who are also propping up the entire national economy, so feck right off with your "creaming the goodies" nonsense. And maybe say a quick prayer they can find a way to magic up some more cash now we stand to lose the EU subsidies so much of the country has been relying on for years: yay impending disaster!

I think the age should be raised. 70 is the new 60.

I know means testing costs more than the saving but I can understand how dh's parents who are absolutely loaded need a free bus pass each. There are better ways to spend that money.