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Post by dovermire on Jul 23, 2009 19:42:53 GMT 1
No takers yet?
Well, as I will be receiving mine in Sept from Chester West & Chester Council, it will (when needed) get used.
I don't mean just take one stop because I'm to lazy, but where I have the option to travel and time is not of the essence then Pub Trans will be used.
I believe a forum member uses his to go to Ringway fron LJLA, and why not, the gov have decided to assist/help the older generation, but, personally, I think it should have been for when people reached government retirement age as many people can still afford travel whilst in employment.
As a worker within the industry, I do see the one stop abuse taking place and pass holders trying for the extra time before 09:30 weekdays. When you look at who is travelling on the buses during the day, it is mainly supported by the pass holders, without these the buses and companies would probably have folded long ago.
As an aside, I will be receiving heating allowance later this year, because I am entitled to it I will take it, but again I believe it should be for those that have reached the gov retire age.
Dave O
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Post by buspilot on Jul 23, 2009 19:56:10 GMT 1
As an ex-pat, I don't get one and still have to pay for my journeys when in the UK.
So I'd withdraw them from the lot of yer! ;D
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Post by dovermire on Jul 23, 2009 20:57:00 GMT 1
As an ex-pat, I don't get one and still have to pay for my journeys when in the UK. ;D Me thinks, if the present gov stay in charge for another term they'll probably extend it to Europe and beyond! ;D ;D Dave O |
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Post by johnoakes on Jul 23, 2009 23:19:19 GMT 1
 As an ex pat STILL taxed on his pension in the UK any change in Government cannot come soon enough.As for extending it abroad, at 65 and living in France I am sure I can get free or cheap TGV tickets thanks to Pres Sarkozy. Always liked that man.LOL
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2009 15:54:19 GMT 1
Company's are now going out of business or being swallowed up by the five large groups due to the losses they are incurring from this scheme. The way things are going, there may not be many services left that you can use then on. Yorkshirexpress is the latest casualty. Read the reasons they give for this below.
December 2009 - End of the road for the Yorkshirexpress
Transdev Harrogate & District's Marketing Director, Nigel Eggleton explains the reasons behind our tough decision to withdraw Service X54...
The X54 service between Harrogate, Knaresborough and York is being withdrawn because of the reduction in reimbursement the company receives for senior citizens' concessionary travel.
The last day for the service will be Tuesday 15th December 2009.
The recent settlement saw the overall reimbursement we receive cut by 17%, a staggering third of a million pounds across all our routes. The majority of the passengers we carry on the X54 are using their concessionary passes and now, after the cut in funds, the service is simply not viable.
The money we get is based on a complicated formula but it means that instead of the full adult single fare of £5.50 from Harrogate to York we only get £1.48 through the scheme.
Even if the bus was full it wouldn't even cover its costs. The calculations are not secret, they are quite simple - if every seat on the bus was full we'd only be taking £65 for the one hour journey, before we pay for the driver's wages, for fuel, insurance and the cost of the bus itself.
We don't have an axe to grind with the North Yorkshire Concessionary Fares Partnership, the body that represents Harrogate Borough Council's interests under the national concessionary fares scheme. They are trying to make the best of a difficult job with insufficient funding from the Government.
The X54 is entirely commercially operated and no prudent business could continue running a service that was making a loss and could never break even under the current concessionary fares regime.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2009 17:47:32 GMT 1
I use(d) this service quite regularly when I'm in Knaresborough. I was often the only one tendering cash (although I'd use a day "Gold" ticket - for £6.20 - worked out cheaper than the train and was basically door-to-door using the local H&D Aspin 100/1A service to connect). Last used the service in November and I heard the driver telling one of the passengers that it would be axed in December. The service was only started in the last year/18 months at about 6x day. It was very successful at first and they upped it to 10x daily, but soon dropped back to 6x , with Harrogate Coach company filling in the dropped runs ( pic at www.flickr.com/photos/21611052@N02/4146688692/in/set-72157620642657116/ wonder if that will stop too?). Loadings off peak time had dropped quite a bit. I travelled on the 1332 K'bro - York on consecutive days in August and there was only 5/6 pax on it and this was in school holidays. Harrogate Coaches of Kirk Hammerton have only just started operating services to Otley, Guisley and Ilkley from Harrogate. I used the Otley one in November and it was pretty well loaded. Perhaps they will look to pick up more routes that Harrogate & District may drop. They are a much cheaper outfit than H&D and the buses definitely reflect that - no plush leather seats like you get on some of the 1A/1B/1C and the 36 H&D routes! Anyway, back to using the train to get to York! Cheers, Dave |
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Post by ronturner on Dec 11, 2009 7:39:50 GMT 1
John said "at 65 and living in France I am sure I can get free or cheap TGV tickets thanks to Pres Sarkozy.
Always liked that man.LOL "
This is news to me. Information please! The only reduction I know of is the senior persons' pass which has to be purchased, just like in the UK. It usually requires three or four trips, depending upon where and when, before it pays for itself.
Maybe I am missing something.
Unfortunately, public transport is becoming less available in France, especially buses, except in the cities. This is why the French have introduced the concept of "voitures sans permis", low power cars for two people with space for shopping bags, which can be driven without any kind of licence and popular with country people. They cause their problems too, as my neighbour discovered yesterday when he was forced off the road into a field to avoid hitting a French "Miss Marple", racing around a corner on the wrong side of the road in her "sans permis"
Long distance buses which are popular and frequent in the UK such as national Express are few and far between here. The TGV concept goes from strength to strength but country train routes and other non main lines are being relentlessly eroded. (Example 4 years ago it was possible travel Cherbourg/Nantes then Nantes/Lucon (Nearest to me.) Now it is impossible without a stop in Paris, changing trains and it takes nearly all day.
If I was living in the UK I would certainly use a free bus pass, but as I am not I would vote to scrap it and instead use the money to compensate Members of Parliament for loss of their expenses claims.
RT
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Post by johnoakes on Dec 11, 2009 8:48:36 GMT 1
;D
The voiture sans permis are usually bought by people who have lost their licence for a variety of reasons-often alcohol related.LOL
It enables the locals to continue driving for the year until their revoked licence is returned.
Locally they are called drunks cars(In French) and their is NO cachet in owning one.
Second hand versions keep their prices well as there is always a demand.LOL
Saw a pick up version last week--all it needs is a white van version.
Inter town buses will never be popular in France--they have a different philosophy.They tend to do everything local and that means in the nearest town or village--our method of travelling to get a better bargain or specialist just does not apply here.--they do use the web a lot however.
I will research the cheap rail fares--I don't use the train as we are so close to major airports-and pass on all I can find..Another local ex pat family regularly train to Milan to see family so I will ask them.
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