Councillor Allen Brett and Beverley Hughes MP sending Manju Ghosh off on her free nationwide bus journey as she shows off the new travel pass
A BUS passenger from Bolton is leaving on an epic journey - to travel England by bus.
Manju Ghosh, aged 60, of Lostock, will start a 700-mile free bus journey across England on Tuesday morning.
The journey, set up to celebrate the launch of the government's National Bus Travel Concession scheme, will start in Manchester go up to Newscastle and finish in Land's End, Cornwall, on April 12.
Mrs Ghosh, a regular bus user, will be travelling with a friend from Sheffield, Christine Jackson, using her National Travel Pass, which gives over 60s free travel on bus services across England.
She said: "I heard about the scheme a while ago and I thought it would be a great adventure. I also wanted to see if it was possible to travel the country just using local bus services."
Regional Minister for the North-west, Beverley Hughes, said: "The new concession is great news for pensioner and eligible disabled as it means they will be ale to travel mush further afield for free."
Posted by: amosc99, Hoofdorp on 8:37pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Hopefully the person is NOT trusting First bus as they are absolutely crud at keeping to timetable, for efficiency etc etc..
The sooner that company gets forced to split up the better (and yes the Gvt/Monopolies Commission do have the powers to do that!)
Hopefully the person is NOT trusting First bus as they are absolutely crud at keeping to timetable, for efficiency etc etc..
The sooner that company gets forced to split up the better (and yes the Gvt/Monopolies Commission do have the powers to do that!)
Posted by: Devon Whites, Torquay on 8:39pm Sun 30 Mar 08
What a great way to bankrupt bus companies. Here in Torquay, and other seaside towns, where thousands of people retire every year, will be some of the places hardest hit. In our local area, the over 60s account for 68% of the population. Please tell me how the bus companies will keep the services going.
What a great way to bankrupt bus companies. Here in Torquay, and other seaside towns, where thousands of people retire every year, will be some of the places hardest hit. In our local area, the over 60s account for 68% of the population. Please tell me how the bus companies will keep the services going.
Posted by: tax payer, Bolton on 8:45pm Sun 30 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Devon Whites[/bold] wrote:
What a great way to bankrupt bus companies. Here in Torquay, and other seaside towns, where thousands of people retire every year, will be some of the places hardest hit. In our local area, the over 60s account for 68% of the population. Please tell me how the bus companies will keep the services going.[/quote] By extortionate pricing for the rest of us!
Devon Whites wrote:
What a great way to bankrupt bus companies. Here in Torquay, and other seaside towns, where thousands of people retire every year, will be some of the places hardest hit. In our local area, the over 60s account for 68% of the population. Please tell me how the bus companies will keep the services going.
Posted by: tax payer, Bolton on 9:16pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Free travel would be better allocated to those who cannot afford the £2 to get into town, as opposed to what is probably the best well off segment of our community.
Free travel would be better allocated to those who cannot afford the £2 to get into town, as opposed to what is probably the best well off segment of our community.
Posted by: amosc99, Hoofdorp on 9:19pm Sun 30 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Devon Whites[/bold] wrote:
What a great way to bankrupt bus companies. Here in Torquay, and other seaside towns, where thousands of people retire every year, will be some of the places hardest hit. In our local area, the over 60s account for 68% of the population. Please tell me how the bus companies will keep the services going.[/quote] The travel by free - they are counted on to the bus by issuing FREE tickets. Then the bus companies apply to the local councils or the PTE's for the reimbursement - which comes from central government and originally from ourselves.
This is the crudest way of explaining it. We and they are paying for the journies through council tax and other taxations (linked centrally)!!!
Devon Whites wrote:
What a great way to bankrupt bus companies. Here in Torquay, and other seaside towns, where thousands of people retire every year, will be some of the places hardest hit. In our local area, the over 60s account for 68% of the population. Please tell me how the bus companies will keep the services going.
The travel by free - they are counted on to the bus by issuing FREE tickets. Then the bus companies apply to the local councils or the PTE's for the reimbursement - which comes from central government and originally from ourselves.
This is the crudest way of explaining it. We and they are paying for the journies through council tax and other taxations (linked centrally)!!!
Posted by: amosc99, Hoofdorp on 9:23pm Sun 30 Mar 08
[quote][bold]tax payer[/bold] wrote:
Free travel would be better allocated to those who cannot afford the £2 to get into town, as opposed to what is probably the best well off segment of our community.[/quote] it could well be GBP2.00 although in Darcy Lever it's GBP1.80 by First Bus and GBP 1.40 by Tyrer Bus!!
Each company have their own fare structure and even this fare structure is different for each othe companies subsidaries (e.g. First Manchester is the most expensive bus company with the First bus group, whilst First Edinburgh is one of the cheapest!!!!!). Even concessionary fares are different dependent of where one lives in the country. e.g Bolton is "lucky" to come under the control of the GMPTE where is it 70p - in the rest of Lancashire and in Blackburn with Darwen it is half price!!!!
tax payer wrote:
Free travel would be better allocated to those who cannot afford the £2 to get into town, as opposed to what is probably the best well off segment of our community.
it could well be GBP2.00 although in Darcy Lever it's GBP1.80 by First Bus and GBP 1.40 by Tyrer Bus!!
Each company have their own fare structure and even this fare structure is different for each othe companies subsidaries (e.g. First Manchester is the most expensive bus company with the First bus group, whilst First Edinburgh is one of the cheapest!!!!!). Even concessionary fares are different dependent of where one lives in the country. e.g Bolton is "lucky" to come under the control of the GMPTE where is it 70p - in the rest of Lancashire and in Blackburn with Darwen it is half price!!!!
[quote][bold]tax payer[/bold] wrote:
Free travel would be better allocated to those who cannot afford the £2 to get into town, as opposed to what is probably the best well off segment of our community.[/quote] If someone cannot afford £2 to get to town why on earth would they go?
The reason we are some of the best off in the community is that we had a good work ethic and worked hard all our lives and saved for a comfortable retirement. Something I fear is now not the case, a certain proportion of todays young people either don't work or expect that the future tax payers will pay for them in old age. Not so.
tax payer wrote:
Free travel would be better allocated to those who cannot afford the £2 to get into town, as opposed to what is probably the best well off segment of our community.
If someone cannot afford £2 to get to town why on earth would they go?
The reason we are some of the best off in the community is that we had a good work ethic and worked hard all our lives and saved for a comfortable retirement. Something I fear is now not the case, a certain proportion of todays young people either don't work or expect that the future tax payers will pay for them in old age. Not so.
Posted by: RagReader, Horwich on 8:52am Mon 31 Mar 08
[quote][bold]tosh[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]tax payer[/bold] wrote: Free travel would be better allocated to those who cannot afford the £2 to get into town, as opposed to what is probably the best well off segment of our community.[/quote] If someone cannot afford £2 to get to town why on earth would they go? The reason we are some of the best off in the community is that we had a good work ethic and worked hard all our lives and saved for a comfortable retirement. Something I fear is now not the case, a certain proportion of todays young people either don't work or expect that the future tax payers will pay for them in old age. Not so.[/quote] Great post Tosh 10/10
tosh wrote:
tax payer wrote: Free travel would be better allocated to those who cannot afford the £2 to get into town, as opposed to what is probably the best well off segment of our community.
If someone cannot afford £2 to get to town why on earth would they go? The reason we are some of the best off in the community is that we had a good work ethic and worked hard all our lives and saved for a comfortable retirement. Something I fear is now not the case, a certain proportion of todays young people either don't work or expect that the future tax payers will pay for them in old age. Not so.
Think of the cost to the taxpayer. It may be free to travel, but the bus company has to be reinbursed by local or nat, Government, hence a very large sum that has to be paid by the taxpayer.
Think of the cost to the taxpayer. It may be free to travel, but the bus company has to be reinbursed by local or nat, Government, hence a very large sum that has to be paid by the taxpayer.
Posted by: BORISIMO, aka/dop/yelt/vonn/nm
e on 10:56am Mon 31 Mar 08
[quote][bold]chas[/bold] wrote:
Think of the cost to the taxpayer. It may be free to travel, but the bus company has to be reinbursed by local or nat, Government, hence a very large sum that has to be paid by the taxpayer.[/quote] Problem solved, Rugrat has HOUSES, all paid for. A healthy donation from this tax evader wouldn't go amiss.
chas wrote:
Think of the cost to the taxpayer. It may be free to travel, but the bus company has to be reinbursed by local or nat, Government, hence a very large sum that has to be paid by the taxpayer.
Problem solved, Rugrat has HOUSES, all paid for. A healthy donation from this tax evader wouldn't go amiss.
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