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AIBU?

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Original poster

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

224 replies

magapiemag · 02/01/2017 09:23

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?

OP posts:
Alconleigh · 02/01/2017 09:50

It's true though Sooty. I'm not saying they're evil or anything but there is a wealth imbalance in favour of the over 60s. Which is relevant to this.

Alconleigh · 02/01/2017 09:51

And yes, 60 isn't what it used to be, with higher standards of living, healthcare, greater longevity etc. 70, maybe.

kate1967 · 02/01/2017 09:52

Funnily enough I was talking to our 70 year old neighbour about this yesterday morning. He said he didn't think he should have got his bus pass when he was 60, because he feels that's too young, but that now, he would like to be able to get out of the house before 9.30 in the morning (he doesn't drive). His job all his life started at 5.30 a.m. and so he's naturally an early riser, and has ended up paying the fare just so that he can be up and about at 7.30 - he goes out to meet his friends at a cafe in a nearby town, does his shopping daily, and sometimes plays a game of bingo at the bingo hall. Then he's home around 3/3.30 to cook his supper and settle down for a bit of telly.

I agree with him. The rules about it being only London where they get all day travel are outdated now.

ilovesooty · 02/01/2017 09:53

Alconleigh - sorry. You've made a reasonable observation. I don't expect subsequent posts to be reasonable and I suspect the OP is intended to goad.

Catlady1976 · 02/01/2017 09:54

Rather give it to 60 plus unemployed who have seen their retirement age pushed back. But still have to pay bus fares to sign on and attend job interviews. Or just all unemployed.

Yoksha · 02/01/2017 09:54

You don't get free bus passes when you're 60 now. They've stopped them. You don't qualify for a Now card until you qualify for your old age pension.

SherlockPotter · 02/01/2017 09:55

Pensioners in other parts of the UK get free bus travel, on weekdays its after 9:30 but on weekends and bank holidays it's all day. I believe they get discount on their train travel too with a railcard!

ilovesooty · 02/01/2017 09:56

You don't get one here until pensionable age but areas vary.

EngTech · 02/01/2017 09:58

Being Devils Advocate

Who will pay for this?
What about all the taxes that the over 60's have paid during their lifetime?

From my perspective, a growing elderly population should not come as a surprise to the various Governments I.e. They should have a rough idea of numbers from birth dates plus forward planning?

A case of saving money etc over the years and now it is starting to bite.

All for the excellent suggestion, however, who will pay?

Catlady1976 · 02/01/2017 10:02

Absolutely yoksha People on here seem to think baby boomers have it so easy. But many women baby boomers have had their retirement age pushed back with less notice than the rest of us. Not a problem if you are in work but for those struggling to find work it is a problem.

TheNaze73 · 02/01/2017 10:07

I want to know what the problem is with London OP?

Witchend · 02/01/2017 10:13

In our area over 60s get free bus fair, but they put the child rate up to 2/3s fare at about the same time.

It costs me over £10 to get return for me and two children into town-that's about a 6 minute journey. Then they wonder why families don't use the buses.

Witchend · 02/01/2017 10:14

fare not fair! Blush

HerodZackHunt · 02/01/2017 10:20

The bus passes are funded by local government. As will the government's idea for paying for the residential care required by older people without independent funding.
If you want to change funding priorities in your area, start with your local councillor.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 02/01/2017 10:28

TFL gets very little money from Central Government for operating costs (£440m) and that is being phased out. The main source of income is fares at £6bn+.

So Londoners paying for their own transport system is London getting more than their fare share.

RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime · 02/01/2017 10:28

Why do you suddenly start to need free travel at 60? A working 60 or 65 year old who's paid off their mortgage and is living in a two income household with no dependents has a lot more money than eg a single income (due to SAHP) household with children and a mortgage.

Also, the London arrangement I imagine is paid for from a separate budget and not taking anything from people elsewhere.

Peregrina · 02/01/2017 10:35

You don't get free bus travel at 60 in England anymore. Sneakily, the age at which you could claim was put up with the pension age, but the change was hardly advertised.

Temporaryname137 · 02/01/2017 10:38

My DF is pretty loaded, still working and paying high taxes - He's 74. He wouldn't want free travel and I don't think he should get it!

So YABU to say "all" over 60's. But YANBU to say perhaps it should be rolled out, outside London.

TheDuchessOfKidderminster · 02/01/2017 10:43

Most of the people I know who are 60+ don't have any trouble paying for transport. Students and young adults starting out in their working lives on the other hand often do struggle with essential day to day expenses like this and I think you could make a much better case for offering free public transport for this group.

aretheyhavingalaff · 02/01/2017 10:45

OP you do know (don't you?) that if you live in Scotland and are over 60 you get free bus travel anywhere in the country?

user1476013479 · 02/01/2017 10:48

Dreadful idea. It would cost us money we cannot afford and bring negligible economic benefits.

alltouchedout · 02/01/2017 10:53

You can't use your 60+ bus pass in Manchester before 9.30am, I suppose so that commuters paying to get to work aren't competing for limited space. It seems to annoy some holders of the concessionary passes very much.

SherlockPotter · 02/01/2017 10:56

alltouchedout all of the concessionary passes can't be used before 9:30 on a weekday, I'm assuming it's for a couple of reasons, a) space like you said and b) it's where the bus companies make the most money!

sparechange · 02/01/2017 11:00

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

Pretty sure the over 60s have the highest percentage of home ownership of any demographic

Why are some people fixated on the 'frail, starving old lady' trope for everyone over 60?
The Joseph Rowntree foundation have done many many studies which show there is much higher fuel poverty and generally poverty among the working poor and working families yet all the outraged posters who start threads in favour of more benefits for pensioners claim to have never seen all the studies on why they don't need them

amispartacus · 02/01/2017 11:00

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

If you look at GDP per capita, we are number 22.

There is a lot of money produced in the country. BUT there are a lot of people to share it between.

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