Bus passes

I use mine at least twice a week and save about £11 60. Which is getting on for £500 a year .I'd certainly be prepared to make a contribution but I think it could put off a lot of older/less well off pensioners There is a lady near us who goes out every day on the bus as much for company/something to do
And if it became as expensive as using the car/parking then I'd use the car which is not good for all sorts of reasons

We don't get bus passes in our area. We used to get a train pass, but that has been dropped now too. Bit difficult for those elderly people who don't have a car or who cannot drive.

I do not have a bus pass, no point as there's no bus to use it on.

I would fight to the death for my Freedom Pass which allows me free travel on buses and underground and so would everyone I know. What annoys me more (in London) is the free travel for schoolchildren. Can't tell you how often I see (often overweight) teens taking a bus two stops - and behaving appallingly. They need to be walking!

I think there should be a charge somehow
An annual contribution would cost money to raise. So either a pound for each journey. Still cheap! And you would be paying then according to use
OR ten pounds off the annual money for winter fuel? If u try to means test it will cost a fortune in administration and some will fiddle the system.

More than happy to pay for it. I don't understand why there is no annual charge.

My mother is 96 and still uses her bus pass. If she was charged £20 it would just mean something else for me to pay for. Not all senior citizens have a flexible budget.

I believe we pay for our bus pass in our council tax

I've been eligible for a bus pass for three years but haven't claimed it. I prefer the convenience of my car. I wonder if I can claim a discount on my council tax! ?

Hello Ajanela and Teddy123. Another Bournemouthite here. Never realised there were so many of us! What I find worst about the buses here is during the summer when they're so full of noisy, language school students. Still very grateful for my free bus pass though.

I think the admin. costs would mean that no money was left to go towards social care and the NHS.

I often use my bus pass to save me using my car. The bus is running anyway so using it is better for all of us.

Everyone assumes that at our age we all have a bus pass. Well, no. I used to have one but I sent it back. I don't know when I last got on a bus - it was a long time ago, I know that much. DH still has his but he never uses it. Neither of us can walk as far as the bus stop, so what's the point?

In Scotland we have bus passes that can be used for free anywhere in the country. If i don't take the car to visit in Edinburgh, i get free travel from Aberdeen and also free travel when i am there. It's great. I don't take the car into town so i don't have to pay for parking and the bus is free. Great system.

We use the bus and tube frequently especially for hospital appointments when taking the car means searching for a parking space and paying for it. Also can use it when we are on holidays on the local buses that saves parking charges also.
I don't see how we pay via council tax Lasydays as my neighbours pay the same amount as us council tax and they are a young couple, so that would mean they are paying for Freedom Passes they aren't entitled to?

I would willingly pay a fee bus pass saves us a lot we use it to go to larger towns saves us paying for parking .

I believe we are contributing considerably for this facility through our council tax - just received my vastly increased bill yesterday and am still in a darkened room - and through the income tax from those of us who are still 'fortunate' enough to be eligible. No, NOT ONE PENNY. I do a reasonable amount of voluntary work which simply would not happen without my pass. Others claim travel expenses so I guess it's swings and roundabouts. Furthermore anyone who thinks that a fee would be specifically directed to a 'good cause' e.g. social care has the term 'cloud cuckoo land' leaping into my head. It would go into the common purse and misappropriated accordingly. Furthermore I do believe the collection of such fees would be an excuse for an increase in administrators. Mmmmmm......NOT a good idea methinks. Having said all this, I am extremely grateful for this facility and appreciate the freedom it gives me. When I'm in the company of those who express discomfort at having a pass I always remind them that use of it is NOT compulsory. Feel free to pay the economic fare and that way you will be 'helping' the economy indirectly. The response both facial and verbal is VERY interesting.

Living in a remote low income area of rural Wales, I agree with Badenkate and Skweek1. Our local bus service is infrequent and only operates for 3 days a week anyway, so people on basic pensions are dependent on neighbours' goodwill if they need to go anywhere other than A&E. I don't think it would be fair to charge people on low incomes - most of whom have worked hard all their lives (paid or unpaid) and are using what income they have to support the local economy, whether it's going shopping for food or attending a class/having a coffee with friends.
Also, if they are visiting relatives in England, their passes are not valid - and vice versa - which I think is unfair to everybody.

Mine arrived in the post today.
So, I looked up our bus timetable determined to save a bit of pollution straight away.
I was going into my market town to shop and then get a lift back with my husband (he finishes work at 1p.m., bags too heavy to return by bus)
The buses are at 14 mins past every hour and , as I was working until 11 I was too late to catch the first one, if I'd waited for the next I wouldn't have had time to shop!
So I went in the car. I'll have to start saving the world another day?
I would be perfectly prepared to pay an annual fee for my card, I'm sure it will may? save me a fortune.

Before this winter started, we used the bus on a regular basis. We have an exceptionally good service here and also Supertram, so the bus pass saved us money and I felt better because we weren't using the car. Then DH (who was a huge advocate of the bus pass) got fed up with sitting with a bus full of people coughing and sneezing who were simply too stupid or inconsiderate to cover their mouths and noses, so he went back to using the car. He'll probably come round to it again when the weather gets better! Would we pay something towards it? Well, I'd feel more inclined to if I could trust our council not to squander the money they get in Council and other taxes. But I agree that pensioners with low incomes shouldn't have to - it's a lifeline for some.

I pay for my senior railcard, so I wouldn't mind paying a yearly sum for my bus pass. I use the railcard more often than the bus pass, as I still drive. I'm sure most people in receipt of the bus pass wouldn't mind paying £20 - £25 per year.

Have to agree with Greyduster. One huge downside of using the bus is the less than desirable practices of some of our travelling companions. My pet hate is the rowdy, loud and non-stop swearing of many of our young people. I have learned to avoid the after-school/college pick up routes. Yes, and the personal habits of some fellow travellers are disquieting. Once again....swings and roundabouts.......

From what I can remember, speaking just for pensioners, the English pension is much lower than elsewhere, so freedom passes were introduced (also winter fuel allowance) instead of increasing the actual pension amount.

I do not qualify for a bus pass as yet, but I would be willing to pay an annual fee like the £20 suggested. I have a car, but I find it easier and cheaper in the long run to use the buses to get into the town centre. Also, I absolutely love travelling on a bus, especially upstairs on a double decker where I can watch the world go by.

I use my bus pass occasionally. I don't think a £20 per year fee would make any difference at all to the NHS nor Social care costs.

Oh, I'd love a bus pass. DH and I often travel into town on the bus as it's much easier than finding a parking space and he got his at 60, 7 years ago. I've to wait until I'm 66. At the times we travel I'm often the only paying passenger.