Another bus pass comment.

[602]

Hi,

Wrinkly inhabitants of "The City and County of Swansea" can have a bus pass that entitles them to use the "Heart of Wales" railway.

We live in Glynneath, which is in the county of "Neath-Port Talbot". We are not entitled to a bus pass that includes the railway.

It don't seem right to me. If I lived in Swansea, and found that my council were contributing to a railway that I didn't want to use, I might get upset from the other direction.

602

 

[Clive-Cardiff]

602 said "It don't seem right to me. If I lived in Swansea, and found that my council were contributing to a railway that I didn't want to use, I might get upset from the other direction".

Or you living in Neath-Port Talbot could be chuffed your county is not contributing :O)

I do see your point. When are we going to have a national travel pass policy?

 

[Guest]

Councils can spend your Council Tax money as they see fit, and you can lodge a protest, if you wish at the election of the councillors. Some counties feel that spending money on subsidised transport for the elderly is beneficial in that it allows them more freedom, especially if they are on limited pensions, and of course that can have additional benefits in keeping them active and therefore less likely to need medical care until later. Other councils feel that saving money anyway they can, is the best way forward and of course there are some councils who feel that spending all the money on frivolous things such as salaries and non-jobs, is the way to go.

While I suspect we would like to have a balance between point 1 and 2, and never see 3, it is rare we get the chance to make more than a small impression on the workings of the 'Council'.

 

[ChristineandAlan]

HI im back,i agree with clive,we live in port talbot i dont see why we cant all have national bus passes,we would use the buses more and we would be more invironmentally friendly thats what the government wants it would make our money go further when we are on our travels.all the best ALAN P/T

 

[Guest]

Sorry, but do not where you are living, but England has indeed a National Bus Concession Scheme. It is the fact that as of April 6th this year that the Government is seeking to take away what they first giveth, that is my concern.

See this link

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/PublicTransport/BusAndCoachTravel/DG_10036264

 

[Guest]

Sorry, I included Wales along with England. I assume it is the same Scheme there.

 

[ValA.]

Anyone who has already got a bus pass, and was born before 6th April 1950, can keep their entitlement, according to the website link above.

Great, I got mine in July last year, and OH got his the year before!

I only hope our local council don't try to take away my 'Local Card' which gives all sorts of other benefits, such as free swimming, free gym membership, and so on.

 

[602]

we would use the buses more

Hi,

See above comment. I was featured on Welsh TV a few months that people were packing sandwiches and taking free bus trips along the South Coast of Wales. Seems a nice day out. Problem was that there were not enough seats left for local residents who needed to use the bus.

602

 

[DALEKSHolidays]

...do you think they'll allow us to fit a towbar to the buses...save

 

[giant]

Hi 602 , I live in Glynneath as well and qualify for my bus passin 17 months time , but a lot of people that have passes have never used them, and the esso garage supposed to change their prices to match tesco in Neath, i dont think it allways happens and if they gave tesco points on petrol a lot more people would use it. brian

 

[602]

Hi Brian,

The petrol in TESCO Glynneath is supposed NOT to be TESCO petrol, so no brownie points. Therefore I try to make sure I top up whenever in Neath or Aberdare. I always top up as soon as tank goes under half, and always brim the tank, to save making a special journey just to buy fuel.

It doesn't help that customers fill their cars THEN spend time doing their shopping before paying for their petrol. Frequent queues of cars in the road. But its the only fuel for the best part of 10 miles.

602

 

[Philspadders]

free swimming, free gym etc. nothing is free. someone is paying for it, now those of us that work in manufacturing / engineering now usually work 50 hours plus per week to pay enough tax to support those that make a living from the public purse or enjoy "free" services.

At the last count 6.7m people made their living directly from the public purse while under 3m are employed in wealth generating manufacturing.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

So then Phil, I suppose it's correct in surmising that when you become of age to enjoy such 'freebies' your principles won't allow you to partake of them and you will insist on paying :O)

 

[Heethers]

l am 58 part retired due to my ex company investing in plants in India and China so enforced early retirement.

Went to town on the bus last week of all the passengers l was the only one that paid, pensioners with free bus passes, and the well known families that haven't worked since Adam was a lad all on free ride's, so for that journey of 3.5 miles actual cash taken was