The Bus Pass Blog

I was amazed to read a report in my local newspaper The Argus, dated July 9, wherein our local Conservative MP Tim Loughton told the House of Commons: “There have been a number of cases involving people who, knowing that they can travel for free, get on the bus and travel all the way down to coast to Chichester or Lewes or perhaps on to Hastings or wherever without getting off. They go for the trip.

"That is terribly nice and lovely, but they do it again the following day and the one after that and the one after that. Bus drivers now have regular customers who travel on the bus for the sake of it. To be honest, that is not the purpose for which the scheme was intended.”

Further on The Argus report states Transport Minister Rosie Winterton said MPs should “rejoice” at the concessionary travel scheme, which had given “enormous freedom” to older people.

Of course, Tim Loughton's remarks resulted in furious Letters to the Editor of The Argus. Readers stated their “disgust” at his accusations of “joy riding”, saying that as life-long tax payers, we have earned the right to free bus journeys. Nancy Platts, Labour parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion stated: "Older people shouldn't have to declare a good reason to travel any more than anyone else."

Surely the authorities should be pleased the buses are travelling with a full load of passengers. After all, they aren't laying on extra buses for us, we are merely using the normal timetable, the buses run whether they are empty, half-full or bursting at the seams.

Oh, and one thing I've noticed, we are always polite and thank the bus driver!

...Kookie, BPC Blogger