petrol is not going to reduce very much,time to dig out those free bus pass's?

As we have a bus stop a five minute walk from our house and a service to town every 15 minutes I use it to travel into town when I can’t walk because of the weather and always catch it back home. Although not many passengers wear a mask, sometimes there are only two or three passengers on the bus and the windows are left open. I have used the bus to travel further afield before Covid and will do again although most of my longer journeys are by train as due to DH’s previous employment we have concessionary train travel. My sister-in-law lives in the West Midlands and is able to use her pass to travel by train free of charge in the West Midlands area, I would like to see that extended to other areas of the country.

Still waiting for my bus pass two more years. I used recently to go to cinema and although I’m on a pension I pay adult fare £5.50 however older 40+ students can get a discount ticket seems unfair. Felt comfortable windows open almost everyone wearing masks

Our bus service is rubbish no buses on Sunday,s now !

I’ve never applied for mine although I’ve been qualified for years. Unfortunately it will still take a car journey to get to my nearest bus stop and then 4 lanes of fast moving dual carriage way to cross on foot.

Well my bus pass was great when there were hourly buses from my village into the local town. I could go to the supermarket, shops, market or GP and come back on the next bus. Then a few years ago they cut the service dramatically and each journey time was more than doubled as they had to go such a long route round. I suspect the service will be cut completely soon as there are hardly any passengers now it is so inconvenient. The bus pass is useless now.

I’m in the same camp as AGA4: very few people using buses here wear masks. Now as I cycle or drive past the bus drivers we enthusiastically exchange waves instead of happy chit chat and home grown veg. It was a nanna-specific activity with my DGC which I hope to resume when numbers drop.

Only problem is ....
I don't have a free bus pass!

I’m using my pass more, still drive but have never enjoyed it.
I like the fact I see people on the bus and feel part of the human race. It’s more interesting than sitting behind a wheel and certainly not as stressful.

We have an excellent bus service into the nearest city, not that I go in very often, but not to anywhere else. There are occasional buses to some of the villages, but mostly to suit the working day. I might try the train though, just for a change of scene. Avoid rush hours, and it should be ok.

I love my bus pass and use it often. When we lived in Scotland we got issued with a pass at aged 60. Sadly, when we moved back to NE England, DH, who is a bit younger than me, no longer qualified for a pass. Not long to go now until we both have passes and we plan lots of trips using public transport. We are lucky to have a very good bus service where we now live and its good to leave the car at home

You’ve reminded me I can get one now, application done, thank you infomanl
I won’t be using buses immediately, but it’ll be there for if and when.

Yesterday we caught a bus into town and then the first bus leaving heading towards the seaside. Everybody looked as though they were over 60.
My OH enjoyed not having to keep his attention on the road and being much higher we had a different view of the surrounding countryside.
It was a lovely day and we will be doing it much more in the future.

I use my bus pass a lot. Where I live (Fylde) buses are the most masked places I visit.

I moved here on January 17th, and including the 90 mìle journey to get here, I haven't re-filled my tank since.

We do not lack buses, unfortunately I suffer from travel sickness and it is at its worse on uses, stop starting, taking the scenic route and smelling of diesel.

I generally shop once a week, visit several locations and need to get a weeks shopping home and certainly do not fancy taking it on the bus, or walking the over quarter mile from busstop to home.

However the travel sickness, makes catching a bus a non starter.

I finally got my bus pass last year and I’ve made good use of it already. I often walk the couple of miles into town then bus back with my shopping. Good for the environment and good for my health. Our buses aren’t busy at the times I use them, so you’re never close to anyone else. Last time I travelled on the bus home I realised as I got off that I was the only person on it, sitting there with my mask on! I’m sure I’ll get a lot more use out of my pass in the future.

It is obviously good for local business. My small market town was buzzing this morning, people walking into the centre and back with full shopping bags.

Ive found public transport fine, I will still be wearing my mask though.

AGAA4

I used to use the bus more before covid but use my car mostly now. I will wait till covid has lessened, if it ever does, before using public transport again.

Might be safer in the summer - using public transport - when the infection rate drops. But I'd be a bit wary in winter...

I think it's going to be a bit of a gamble getting reliable information and stats now because of the lifting of virtually all restrictions.

We'll only know, if and when hospitals start declaring critical incident levels - or if figures show a real decline in people waiting for elective surgery and treatments - whether or not Covid has lessened.

Pablo1

Hi all moving to devon soon hopefully soon a y ideas on areas ?but North seems cheaper than south ,

I’m a North Devonian and can honestly say it’s a fabulous place to live not that I’m biased of course!!

I have been on buses, trains and tubes since the start of covid. I always wear a mask and sanitise. Don't use public transport in rush hour as its too busy.

I used to use the bus more before covid but use my car mostly now. I will wait till covid has lessened, if it ever does, before using public transport again.

Back in the 'good old days' there would be busses running on routes with few passengers (now re-labelled 'customers') and the profitable areas subsidised them. So most people in rural areas had access to their nearest market town or city centre. In which they shopped and spent money, regularly. And some relied on these services to get to work, access healthcare and education.

After de-regulation and 'reform' bus services became unreliable, expensive and dysfunctional. None of which mattered too much to pensioners with passes. Because they lost their busses anyway.

Great if you live in London or another large city though.

I have another six years to wait for a bus pass - unless the Government scuppers that by fast-forwarding the introduction of the higher retirement ages, which would not surprise me.

And as there are now only two buses a day from here (well, from the next village, a minimum 15 min walk away, and on the other side of a very busy A road), and those might be axed soon given the state of our economy now, I'm not holding my breath.

Another 4 years to wait yet for a free bus pass
Will be handy when visiting seaside resorts or cities but no use when visiting Jersey where we probably use a bus most

The bus passes are fantastic. We have used ours all over the country and on local trains pre pandemic . We are getting back to using them now.