good news for free bus pass holders

[whole diary]

[Robin Summerhill]

Is this the right time to encourage pensioners on to buses or has passenger numbers dropped off so much they will have a deck to themselves.

A HUGELY difficult question ... and one I have been fighting with (in terms of public transport promotion in a much more general sense) over the last few days.  I have no answer.

Before we all start jumping up and down with glee about this, think for a moment about why it is happening and indeed why the restriction was put there in the first place.

For much the same reasons that the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) have anytime and off peak fares, buses are quieter outside peak hours. The companies don’t need, and indeed don’t want, concessionary pass holders cluttering up seats when they can sell them for a higher price. To all intents and purposes, the peak doesn’t exist at the moment.

Secondly, many local buses, including most Wiltshire town services (or at least those operated by Faresaver) only operate in off peak hours, with the buses doing the school contract work before and after. And after today there is no school contract work for the foreseeable future.

After today Faresaver are operating their Saturday timetable on most services until further notice. For my particular town bus service, that means a first bus at 0850 rather than 0935 which makes no particular difference to me one way or the other. But it also means that the last town service bus of the day for me will now be 1335 (yes 1335. Not a typo) rather than 1605. That does cause me a problem.

It also means, from a rostering point of view, that the driver will be knocking off at 1430 rather than 1700, and I have my doubts that he will be paid for that missing 2.5 hours. I therefore doubt that he’s singing from the rooftops either, although losing 12.5 hrs a week is better than losing his job.

I have to say that worrying about whether we should “encourage” pass holders to travel is to me a bit like fiddling whilst Rome burns, or the Marketing Executive on the Golgafrinchan B Ark trying to decide what colour fire should be. There are more important things going at the moment than get concerned over whether old Sid down the road is making two return free bus trips per day rather than one.

Personally I'm quite looking forward to the return of the "twirly." It will mean things are back to normal.

[TonyK]

Stagecoach in my neck of the woods has announced a switch to school holiday timetables. I won't be going out much, so care little. I picked my wife up at Tivvy Parkway, where a few tumbleweeds blowing across the deserted car park would not have looked out of place. She told me she had a carriage to herself from Cheltenham, and the Temple Meads had an eerie ghostly feel to it. Meanwhile, our nephew (who works in health care) and his wife have tested positive for the virus. Both are recovering well, although they haven't enjoyed it.

[SandTEngineer]

For much the same reasons that the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) have anytime and off peak fares, buses are quieter outside peak hours. The companies don’t need, and indeed don’t want, concessionary pass holders cluttering up seats when they can sell them for a higher price. To all intents and purposes, the peak doesn’t exist at the moment.

I don't buy that argument.  Why is there no restriction on the evening peak then?  A few weeks ago I got caught up in the afternoon school run and the buses that I used were completely packed out.

[eXPassenger]

And that is not supported by health officials in the South West as pensioners (me) are all together in  close proximity  in aisles and queues and we are trained in use of a trolley as a lethal weapon.

The comment from my Brother in Law to pensioner opening was that it was a cynical attempt to infect the whole cohort.

[grahame]

For much the same reasons that the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) have anytime and off peak fares, buses are quieter outside peak hours. The companies don’t need, and indeed don’t want, concessionary pass holders cluttering up seats when they can sell them for a higher price. To all intents and purposes, the peak doesn’t exist at the moment.

I don't buy that argument.  Why is there no restriction on the evening peak then?  A few weeks ago I got caught up in the afternoon school run and the buses that I used were completely packed out.

Morning commuter peak - 07:00 to 08:15
Morning school run - 08:00 to 08:45
Afternoon school run - 15:00 to 16:00
Afternoon commuter peak - 16:30 to 18:00

Now - yer typical pensioner gets up early with plans for the day, has his or her breakfast and heads out for adventures.   Come the middle of the day, she or he is headed back to base to watch the antiques toad show, ripping point, and the chaste.

So - if uncontrolled by financial inducement, said pensioner will overlap with people headed for work and kids headed for school, but will be home long before the rest head home.  Thus the morning restrictions, but there's no real need in the evening.

[Robin Summerhill]

For much the same reasons that the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) have anytime and off peak fares, buses are quieter outside peak hours. The companies don’t need, and indeed don’t want, concessionary pass holders cluttering up seats when they can sell them for a higher price. To all intents and purposes, the peak doesn’t exist at the moment.

I don't buy that argument.  Why is there no restriction on the evening peak then?  A few weeks ago I got caught up in the afternoon school run and the buses that I used were completely packed out.

I can understand why you might not want to buy that argument, but it is the same one that the railways use outside London and Birmingham (and perhaps other places I dom't know about).

Off peak tickets valid after 0930 (unless otherwise stated in the restriction code) but no corresponding evening peak restriction.

[TonyK]

Now - yer typical pensioner gets up early with plans for the day, has his or her breakfast and heads out for adventures.   Come the middle of the day, she or he is headed back to base to watch the antiques toad show, ripping point, and the chaste.

I've got this all wrong, haven't I?

[bradshaw]

Bus passes in Dorset for older people valid before 09.30 from Monday.

First Dorset will be running a Saturday service on weekdays, excluding the Crewkerne-Bridport service which runs the normal weekday service as it is not booked to run on Saturdays.

[REVUpminster]

The history of the bus pass was never operational but political.

When they first started in London it was bus only 0930-16.30.  The peak evening restriction soon ended as it was unworkable.
Next Bus pass holders could buy a 20p blue ticket for any underground journey after 9.30. Not valid on BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))
Next free travel on the Underground after 9.30
Next free travel on the buses before 9.30
Next free travel on underground before 9.30
As the DLR^▸ (Docklands Light Railway) and Trams introduced so the concession was extended
Free travel on BR after 9.30. Freedom Pass born.

What drove all these changes? The GLC^▸ (Glasgow Central) and it's elections as the GLC changed hands between Tory and Labour promising pensioners more concessions. When Boris came in everything had gone so he gave 60-65 year olds free travel as the pension age for women was rising up to the men's 65.

I wonder if this new round of concessions outside London is a out of the extra money for buses that has been given.

Because councils outside London rarely changed hands pensioners did not get these concessions and why diverse areas such as Torbay and Thurrock still have bus passes from 9.30

[infoman]

Question about free London transport with pensioners bus pass.

The free transport,does it apply to bus pass's issued outside of London?

[grahame]

Question about free London transport with pensioners bus pass.

The free transport,does it apply to bus pass's issued outside of London?

The "Freedom Pass" - from London Travel Watch - is described as follows (((here)))

Freedom Pass

London residents over 60 and those with disabilities. Use this calculator to see when you will be eligible and when you can apply.

Free transport in London (and after 9.30am on most National Rail services if you have a Senior Freedom Pass)

Holders of Senior and Disabled Persons Railcards can also get a discount on the price of extension tickets and some Thames river boat services.

The London Councils website has more information on using a Freedom Pass including a map showing where it is valid.

so, no, you can't have one if you don't live in London ... but that page also says

If you have an English National Concessionary Pass, this can be used on London's buses 24 hours a day.

So you can use it on buses ... but NOT on underground, overground, National Rail in London, trams, river buses, or on the Emirates Cablecar.

[grahame]

Now - yer typical pensioner gets up early with plans for the day, has his or her breakfast and heads out for adventures.   Come the middle of the day, she or he is headed back to base to watch the antiques toad show, ripping point, and the chaste.

I've got this all wrong, haven't I?

We are all typical, but some are more typical than others

[REVUpminster]

I think I am right in that  pensioner in Thurrock living near Lakeside cannot get on their own local bus before 9.30 but could use the TFL^▸ (Transport for London) 370 to Upminster and Romford.

Problems arise on London buses because often the drivers don't know the rules and the machines flash up red when an out of London bus pass is presented.  Had this problem at Upminster when going on a 370.

[infoman]

Thank you grahame for the reply on London bus's

[LiskeardRich]

90% or more of my passengers today were senior pass holders. They were going for a walk round town in the majority and some shopping. Talking to Colleagues this Was a common pattern. The exact group that have been told to stay in as they are highest risk.