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Don't think a petition will do much good Tess but I would sign one if there is such a thing.
I am very annoyed because when the scheme was introduced the government said it was to encourage people to leave cars at home and use public transport. Now that is what we are doing they are saying it costs too much and want to means test it to stop those with higher pensions from getting it. So these people will use cars again !!!!!!!
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Thanks Bernie,
and perhaps the ones that will still qualify for a pass after the means test are those people that cannot afford to run a car.
So the number of vars on the road will stay the same, Bus services may be cut as some people won't be able to afford the fare and government won't be giving the bus companies a subsidy.
Instead they will be forking money in unemployment pay for ex bus drivers, (plus bus cleaners, maintenance workers etc)
Plus more pensioners will stay at home possibly increasing their fuel bills, (and increasing pollution). health of these pensioners may suffer, increasing the cost to the Health Service. Plus longer time onHospital waiting lists etc.
Perhaps even people who could be part of the work force will have to wait longer for appointments. They will be getting sickness benefits instead of a wage etc. ,etc., etc.,
I will let you know if I find a petition. If we get get one onto the Downing Street Site, Government will have to take notice. After all, it would make sense to listen to possible voters.
I would not vote for a government that proposes withdrawing the free bus pass.
Tess
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Tess,
Yes we would all like free transport but it costs money.
Do you have a suggestion as to how this should be paid for? At the moment most of the cost falls on the Local Authority who would have to increase council taxes to pay for sustaining it. The government don't have the money and even if they did it has to come out of taxes.
I still think that a better solution would be to charge a reduced fare, rather than none at all.
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I understand that bus companies get money from Government anyway. As part of the Green Initiative. (perhaps for other reasons too)
Allowing pensioners to travel free just increases the number of passengers on the subsidised buses.
The main cost to the Government (and therefore the public) is the running costs of running the scheme. Changing it to a means tested scheme would considerably increase those costs, as well as the time taken to process each application.
I like to spend money on family history research too. Having a free bus pass has enabled me to visit places where records are kept, as well as the places my ancestors came from. I was also able to spend some money in little local shops, while researching my ancestry,helping to keep them open.
Lots of pensioners pay income tax as well as council tax, so we are already paying into the scheme. Having of course paid bus fares for many, many years, before reaching the magic age of 60.
Tess
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