Whew! Free bus passes seem to have survived the PBR – well they would, wouldn’t they, with an election still to be fought over.
Much angst among the better off about this handout they do not need. All those dreams of on the road trips from London to the Lake District on a Freedom Pass – at the cost of several times what would have been the bus fare spent on hotels for the unavoidable overnight stays along the route.
Much angst among the better off about this handout they do not need. All those dreams of on the road trips from London to the Lake District on a Freedom Pass – at the cost of several times what would have been the bus fare spent on hotels for the unavoidable overnight stays along the route.
This is a fine example of one of the unavoidable dilemmas of publicly-funded services: means tests are humiliating, possession of a pass a stigma. But the better off benefit disproportionately from universal benefits (except for those they do not want, such as the attention of social workers or prison officers), simply because they consume more of everything.
Matthew Parris has even ‘flipped’ his residence from Derbyshire to London so he can have a Freedom Pass which entitles him to free travel on the tube – his Derbyshire go-anywhere pass which would work only on the buses in London is not good enough.
Well, I suggest he takes a half-day out from his busy schedule & uses his Freedom Pass when he next visits his second home - that's if the bus drivers have been trained to recognise 1t (though now I come to think of it, I do not think there is any reason why he should not also apply for a bus pass from his local Derbyshire council, as this will not entitle him to any extra travel privileges. Nor will make a difference to which council pays the bill.)
Matthew Parris has even ‘flipped’ his residence from Derbyshire to London so he can have a Freedom Pass which entitles him to free travel on the tube – his Derbyshire go-anywhere pass which would work only on the buses in London is not good enough.
Well, I suggest he takes a half-day out from his busy schedule & uses his Freedom Pass when he next visits his second home - that's if the bus drivers have been trained to recognise 1t (though now I come to think of it, I do not think there is any reason why he should not also apply for a bus pass from his local Derbyshire council, as this will not entitle him to any extra travel privileges. Nor will make a difference to which council pays the bill.)
Catch the green Manchester bus to Buxton, then change to the red airport bus which takes a more leisurely route through the villages. Talk to his fellow passengers about the difference free travel across local council borders has made to their lives.
There is actually a simple way for the well off to do their bit to save unnecessary government expenditure in these straitened times; there is no law, no automatic fine, for not using your pass, so just leave it in your wallet (when you get it back) & pay the fare.
There is actually a simple way for the well off to do their bit to save unnecessary government expenditure in these straitened times; there is no law, no automatic fine, for not using your pass, so just leave it in your wallet (when you get it back) & pay the fare.
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Ticket to ride
Ticket to ride
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