Free Bus Pass scheme labelled "unsustainable& quot;

DaisyAnneReturns, of course, you're quite right - I'm lucky with my health, too, but wonder how many 'good' years I have left. Independence is so valuable, in many ways. Perhaps we should be asking 'Can we afford not to have free bus passes?' It's a shame that local councils are just so underfunded that they're looking for any way to cut costs.

Hetty58

Maybe those who never use buses should think ahead - to the time when they have to stop driving? I'm lucky here, with good public transport and plenty of cabs. I can walk all day, if I want to, as well, the result of always having dogs to walk and never having a car - use it or lose it.

Still, I wouldn't move to somewhere remote where I'd be isolated if/when I became frail. Being stuck indoors day after day must be a nightmare.

Indeed Hetty. Even if you move within walking distance of shops it may not be your walking distance later on. I'm afraid dogs do not stop people getting arthritis, although the walks may help delay it. You can find your balance affected by some conditions, etc. We all hope that what we do will delay and limit the signs of aging but who knows what we will and won't be able to do. If bus passes help retain independence we are likely to cost the NHS a great deal less.

Granmarderby10

Please don’t label bus pass users as sad, lonely and poor DaisyAnneReturns it is demeaning.

I didn'tsay anything like that Granmarderby

If you read the post you will see both the words "mainly" and "elderly" and no sign of the word "all". However, the vast majority of free passes do go to the elderly and I mentioned reasons why I think this is particularly important that we keep them.

You are free to disagree.

Maybe those who never use buses should think ahead - to the time when they have to stop driving? I'm lucky here, with good public transport and plenty of cabs. I can walk all day, if I want to, as well, the result of always having dogs to walk and never having a car - use it or lose it.

Still, I wouldn't move to somewhere remote where I'd be isolated if/when I became frail. Being stuck indoors day after day must be a nightmare.

Please don’t label bus pass users as sad, lonely and poor DaisyAnneReturns it is demeaning.

maddyone

I have a bus pass, but never use it. I think people should pay a subscription for it.

Which is easy to say when you don't need it. Who do you think among the elderly does use the. I would bet it is mainly the sad, the lonely and the poor.

I Strongly disagree with the idea of removing free bus passes.
I don’t qualify for one and won’t for at least another five years but hope they are still a “ thing” then.
…but the buss pass/concession means nothing if the services are cut and they are just none existent in some areas now.

The life-blood of cities, towns and villages is people - footfall in cafes, restaurants, theatres, cinemas, galleries, markets, etc, and shops; small independent retailers and chain stores and supermarkets.

The more difficult it is made to travel to these places, the more they will die and become boarded-up, desolate centres and streets, and then people will ultimately stop going out because there's nothing to go out for and no transport to get there. We'll end up sitting in our homes ordering everything on line and the only individuals out on the roads will be the fast-food delivery guys and girls.

OK, a bit of an exaggeration but small towns and villages are becoming cultural and commercial wastelands.

Parking for private vehicles is becoming more and more difficult and expensive and public transport is declining rapidly.

Both need a re-think. It shouldn't be beyond the wit of any government to recognise that we need both affordable parking and affordable and integrated public transport. IMO neither should be cash-cows nor run for profit. And for the sake of the environment, let alone the mental and physical well-being of the public and the prosperity of commerce we need to demand that we have a well-run public transport system - run at cost.

... and pigs might fly one day...

If the boy isn't yet a teen suedonim its his parents responsibility to make sure he has guidance /rules about when he comes home and to enforce them Its not the SNP's remit to police bad parenting.Well not as far as I'm aware.I have 4 GC who use the passes to go from their village to the nearest town 15 miles away,thats where they go to school /work.One of my GD's volunteers with adults who have physical and mental disabilities.Her pass pays her fares.She just got an award for the number of hours she has completed this year.She's 16

My mother got her bus pass in the 80s when we were living in Cornwall. She used to get very cross when the media went on about pensioners and their free bus passes because she had to pay for hers every year.

If the Freedom pass is withdrawn I’d be happy to buy a travel pass. I like the convenience, not hunting for change, etc.

It is in my memory that bus passes were bought each year - maybe it differs from local council to council?
I know my mum used to buy hers because she was actually quite upset when it became free - would prefer to pay her way than rely on charity was the reasoning.

I've heard complaints about school kids queuing at bus stops for journeys they used to walk. Nothing is perfect is it, but I am glad that the Scottish government is at least addressing the climate crisis

I use my bus pass all the time .
I'd be stuck without it .
0n Tuesdays , I watch elderly people putting food back on the shelves at Iceland as they can't afford it .
I am shocked at their unkempt appearance .
So the free telly has been taken away in homes that you can't afford to heat ...what's next Euthanasia Centers ?

I expect that we'll be charged for using them .

Also, I forgot to say, his parents are divorced and his father, shall we say, has differing standards of child-rearing.

He needs it for school! If he doesn’t come from school it can’t be confiscated.

I’ve got one, although it’s very rarely used. I was told, not verified, that if the criteria were changed for new applicants, existing holders would get theirs renewed.

Confiscate it while he’s asleep!

A friend is cursing the free passes for under 22’s in Scotland. Her almost-a-teen boy has gone off the rails now he can go anywhere. He’s roaming round nearby town with all sorts of older undesirables at 10:30pm etc. She’s tearing her hair out trying to stop him.

Thanks rafichagran. I will do so again and hope you might consider doing that too.

Our DGC have bus passes and it is now cheaper for them to use their passes in their towns and cities than to be taken everywhere in the car, including coming over 100 miles to visit us, so win-win as far as we're concerned! We use ours to do the 50 mile trip to our nearest city as well as for shorter trips, and it is good to see the buses being used - more cars off the road.

That is so true Lovetopaint. People still driving in their 90s.
Already in Scotland now that youngsters, all Under 22, have bus passes they are getting used to using public transport which makes so much sense.

During an oil crisis some years ago, when petrol was short, I met a woman on the bus who told me she had never been on a bus in her life despite living on a bus route.
She said she didn't know what to do or where they went!

Germanshepherdsmum

And remember when you read that, I vote Conservative.

I have voted Conservative in the past, not anymore though, but I agree with everything you have said GSM

Skydancer

I heard that bus passes were given to pensioners because UK pensions were so low. No idea if it's true.

The reason UK pensioners get these concessions, eg bus passes, TV licences, Christmas bonus, is so they they can take them away again if they wish as they're not incorporated into the State Pension.

👍🏻