OAP pass, getting out and about/potential cuts

[Banker 10]

No! Here in North Lincs. our bus passes are valid in the early morning..

Quite right - just as here in South Yorkshire the passes are also valid on trains. These local benefits are available to pass holders in their home areas, and not outside them. It is when a pass holder is in a different area that the 'core standards' apply - such as only using the passes after 9-30 am on weekdays. Some local authorities only apply core standards and don't allow any extra benefits, but it is surprising that the press release quote by 'Andy C' confuses 'the rest of the country outside of London' with the core standards. Edited February 1, 2014 by Banker

[Plain Talker 11]

Pensioners get free bus travel anyway.

 

it's only free at the times prescribed, generally, ECCO.

[verydull 10]

so you expect the taxpayer to pay them for you.....

 

The single fare on Sheffield buses is a maximum of £2 !!!!

disabled people who use the bus before 9am are probably going to be tax payers going to work?

 

(or into education which usually leads to work)

 

trust me, its not by choice that most people use the bus to commute.. its not exactly nice...

[beechnut 10]

... All Pensioners Pay Tax.

Yes - to quote Benjamin Franklin "Nothing is certain but death and taxes". I worked full-time for over 40 years, during which time I claimed not a penny from the state and paid a huge amount in income tax, VAT and all the other taxes. Also (never having driven a car) I am no stranger to bus fares. And now, as 'bazjea' wrote, I pay tax on my pension. I also pay tax on gas & electricity, on my daily pint, on the interest on my savings etc. And if I have to go into a home my house will be sold to pay for care (if I'd spent all my net income and hadn't bought a house, the state would have picked up the bill for my care). So I have no qualms about using buses at taxpayers' expense with a bus pass that I reckon I've PAID for. Edited February 2, 2014 by beechnut

[unners 10]

Use your free bus passes ( after 9.30) and catch the number 69 past the Don Valley Stadium and glance at the wastage that could have been spent on free bus journeys for all, for good knows how long!!

[dutch 68]

so you expect the taxpayer to pay them for you.....

 

The single fare on Sheffield buses is a maximum of £2 !!!!

 

The cost of buses should be comparative equal to their reduced capacity from a car.

A car does the job in 30 minutes, a bus in two hours than that bus should cost 25% from a cheap car. because bus seating is no better than a cheap car.

[Cllr Rob 10]

Unfortunately it is the government imposing funding cuts on SYPTE, not local councillors. the SYITA and SYPTE together just have to decide where to make the savings.

 

 

 

Cuts to concessionary travel come from cut to the Revenue Budget decided by the ITA which is made up of local councillors (nearly all Labour).

 

The ITA chose to cut the Levy by about £2.2 million in 2013/4 hence the reduced subsidy for child fares amongst other cuts.

 

Labour councillors cutting public services to pay for tax cuts.

[Ms Macbeth 73]

60 year old pensioners do not get free travel anymore.

 

Thats because they haven't reached state pension age, so using the term 'pensioners' to describe them is misleading in this context.

 

Just to be clear, as the state pension age for women goes up, so does the age that both men and women are eligible for a bus pass. If (for example) women become state pensioners at 62 years and 8 months, then that is the age they, and men may request a senior travel pass.

 

I'm fortunate because I already have one, and I make good use of it. I can understand making the start time 9.30 for seniors as at 9 am public transport is usually still busy with commuters. When I worked after pension age I paid my inward fare, but got home for nothing, which, given I was earning, seemed fair.

[Annie Bynnol 612]

Thats because they haven't reached state pension age, so using the term 'pensioners' to describe them is misleading in this context.

 

Just to be clear, as the state pension age for women goes up, so does the age that both men and women are eligible for a bus pass. If (for example) women become state pensioners at 62 years and 8 months, then that is the age they, and men may request a senior travel pass.

 

I'm fortunate because I already have one, and I make good use of it. I can understand making the start time 9.30 for seniors as at 9 am public transport is usually still busy with commuters. When I worked after pension age I paid my inward fare, but got home for nothing, which, given I was earning, seemed fair.

 

Men aged 60 -to 64 were and are not entitled to a state pension.

Many men and women between 60 and 64 are entitled to a pension through their work.

Therefore the only way 50% of the population between 60 and 64 could be pensioners is and was through their works pensions.

 

The changes mean that over some 60 pensioners are paying for but not receiving a subsidy that other over 60s pensioners are getting.

 

True this anomaly will disappear in 7 years time but in the meantime perhaps those who are receiving the statutory ENCTS benefit would consider that losing some of their SYPTE extras is no big hardship.

Children and young families are the biggest losers and deserve a bigger slice of the subsidy - but they can't or don't tend to vote locally or nationally.

[hillsbro 28]

…Many men and women between 60 and 64 are entitled to a pension through their work…

Quite correct - I am one of them. I got my occupational pension (and my travel pass) at 60, and my state pension at 65 last year.

…. perhaps those who are receiving the statutory ENCTS benefit would consider that losing some of their SYPTE extras is no big hardship.

Also quite correct - it is no great hardship. But as Beechnut observed in post #76, people aged over 60 have often contributed a huge amount in taxes over the years.

[juniee 10]

i am also one of these , i get my private pension, i am 60 but will not get my state pension until nearly 65 which means that i will not qualify for a OAP bus pass or the winter heating allowance which the govt has kept very quiet about and as mrs macbeth has pointed out some of these rules are not working out fairly.

two friends of mine got their pensions at 60 but another two will not get them until 68 and there are only 4 years difference in our ages.

also men used to qualiy for a oap bus pass and the winter heating allowance buy now they have to wait as well.

Edited February 3, 2014 by juniee

[spilldig 187]

disabled people who use the bus before 9am are probably going to be tax payers going to work?

 

(or into education which usually leads to work)

 

trust me, its not by choice that most people use the bus to commute.. its not exactly nice...

 

I could be wrong but I thought the disability pass could be used anytime ?