£3 busfares will ruin me

[Deportationsensation]

Busfare cap to increase to £3. That’s £6 a day for buses. £10 extra a week.

My food budget for 1 person is £10 a week. So that’s my food money gone to pay for buses.

I can’t work more hours. I do what I can in working part time because I have health issues that would not qualify for PIP but affect me every day. Not qualifying for any benefits other than probably food bank use. Which I will now have to do.

AIBU to just start wondering what is the point? Life isn’t supposed to be like this. Some of us are just trying to survive with no enjoyment in life at all.

@ketchuptom probably one of the currently controversial ones like occult tethered cord or something. (Obviously just guessing.)

Being realistic and trying to find a solution you have the following options, OP:

• increase your work hours as others have suggested
• ask a relative to help pay for the first bus pass and then try to continue buying it yourself
• move in with a relative eg mum or a house share to reduce costs
• speak to someone to see if you are entitled to any more benefits
• change your job so that it is higher paid

Someone else might be able to think of something additional. I think it’s important to be realistic so that you can move forward.

You can't get angry with people. If they're the type to try and con a charity, you aren't dealing with someone with good ethics and morals... basically you'll get foul language and aggression at best, spat at or assaulted at worst. So you see them, assess, and just keep politely offering food. It's a bit of a winner you see, because it's a huge amount of food we can provide, and really lovely stuff...and they have to literally stand there and admit they don't want what they are claiming to be desperate for, so they generally give you a look of disgust for not letting them essentially steal a monetary voucher from someone who actually needs it, and strop out at the audacity of us.

Does it make you mad? Yes. Incredibly so. It's the shamelessness, the frequency, the indignant aggression that they are being prevented from playing the system and disadvantage the genuinely vulnerable. But you release by sharing tales of utter disbelief at the cheeky fuckery you've encountered amongst your colleagues.

But, when you reach someone who genuinely needs help, it's suddenly all worth it. The 4 chancers are worth the 5th person, who's life you can make just that bit better. We don't just do food, we do fuel and energy payments, white goods, house repairs, grants, school uniform, bedding and furnishings....so actually we can be life changing in a lot of instances, we can issue thousands to one household who are in genuine need, and love being able to do so. Even more reason to not let people abuse the charity, when you see the tangible difference we can make when the funds are used correctly.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/andy-burnham-can-keep-bus-30264972?utm_source=mynewsassistant.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=embedded_search_item_desktop

Here is Andy Burnham’s announcement in full: "Greater Manchester is on course to complete the re-regulation of buses on time and on budget early in the New Year, becoming the first city-region outside London to put them fully back under public control after four decades of deregulation.

"Our policy aim throughout has been to create a low-fare, high-patronage system similar to the one that has brought higher growth and productivity to London. This will remain the mission of the Bee Network.

"On 5/1/25, we will proceed with our plan to introduce a new simpler, flatter fare structure based around a £2 single fare and, on 23/3/25, a contactless London-style payment system with a daily and weekly cap setting a maximum for what people pay when travelling on our buses and trams.

"Because of the decisions we have taken, and the progress we have made, GM is in a different position to other areas across England when it comes to bus funding and bus fares. We are beginning to benefit from similar financial advantages as those long enjoyed by London.

"Firstly, the per-kilometre cost of our new contracts are on average one third cheaper than tenders in the old deregulated system.
“Secondly, by taking control of the farebox, any profits from rising patronage can be kept and recycled for the benefit of GM residents rather than retained by private operators.

"Thirdly, control of the system allows us to take further steps to help our residents. For instance, by making annual Bee Bus Passes available through our 14 credit unions via weekly payments, residents can cut the cost of weekly bus travel by around £5.”

"We hope that the measures we are taking will continue the increase in patronage we have seen since the introduction of the original £2 cap in September 2022 and the launch of the Bee Network in September 2023. The more that people use the system, the easier it will be for us to sustain the low-fare structure.

"This said, it is only by the middle of 2025 when we have completed Phase 1 of the Bee Network, and we know the level of government funding we have, that we will be in a position to judge the financial outlook for the new system.

So nationalised buses in Manchester cutting out profit making companies is a lot of the reason why Manchester is able to keep fares lower for at least another year.

Hes done a good job on this. I know a lot of Mancs through DP who weren't happy getting a Scouser as mayor, but have changed their tune over the years.

This is really positive! Wish the energy companies weren't privatised 😭

Oh wow, I didn’t think about the cost of single tickets in comparison to a day ticket..

Christ. I’m not a novice bus user, it’s been my only means of transport since I was a child. £4 for x2 singles. £5.30 for a day ticket. Ridiculous to imply I would be so dense to not know which is more suitable.

I am sorry if I was judgmental in my initial comments re, your hair extensions.

I have a friend who is on a fixed income (can't work), and sometimes she uses foodbanks because she has overspent and treated herself to some nice things... is mainly craft supplies as they keep her sane and busy.
Yes, she could never get anything nice and just pay for bills and food. No money to have a life outside her home, or for hobbies.
When you are stuck on a fixed income that basically dictates the very basics.... is is fucking miserable!

I can understand you wanting your mum to treat you to hair extensions or whatever brings you joy, instead of a buss pass.

@AstonUniversityPotholeDepartment was just trying to help by offering a suggestion that you may not have thought of @Deportationsensation . Unfortunately not everyone fully understands the costs and thus chooses the cheaper option. Lots of people have given you suggestions on here now as to how you can make changes to improve your circumstances. There have also been some unnecessary unkind comments which hopefully you have just ignored. It is up to you now to either choose a solution eg increase work hours or ask a family member for help, or to continue budgeting as you are. Hopefully things will become a little easier for you in time.

Can't you get a bus pass/weekly/monthly ticket to make it cheaper?

Why don't labour give young people a weekly pass to travel to work and others on low inçomes it might keep more in work Also I thought that was the kind of thing labour stood for

That's £393.45 a month. The government has decided that is enough to live on. They used to top up a self employed person's earnings, particularly taxi drivers, but now don't. Which is why we are short of taxi drivers.

Why don't the labour MPs recently elected do what they are meant to do and represent.the public who voted for them That's what's happened in Liverpool and Manchester they are keeping the two pound fare