That wouldn't work as you'd then have people just claiming every single journey was a trip to the doctors just so they can get a free ride.
They'd need to get their surgery to validate the ticket.
That wouldn't work as you'd then have people just claiming every single journey was a trip to the doctors just so they can get a free ride.
They'd need to get their surgery to validate the ticket.
They'd need to get their surgery to validate the ticket.
Newcastle has a scheme where if you’re travelling with a pass before 9:30 if you show an appointment letter to the driver you can travel freeAnd how would a doctors surgery or hospital validate a smartcard ticket? Are you proposing supplying every single last doctors surgery and hospital with some form of ticket machine that can validate a smartcard thus adding to the workload of medical staff who are underpaid and worked to the bone as it is?
As I tried to explain earlier, for every scheme that is targeted at "genuine claimants" as you may say, there is always areas where it can be exploited.Or they could go back to the days when people with passes had to pay IIRC 40p to travel on buses. Back then people used the pass for a genuine reason(ie: trip to the shops and back or going to the hospital) yet now what you have is lazy fat barstewards with passes using them to go one or 2 stops because they can't be bothered walking the length of themselves. Or my personal favourite, seeing a junkie literally sprinting for the bus, walking stick under the arm and promptly slapping their pass onto the machine for a free run at the taxpayer's expense.
And how would a doctors surgery or hospital validate a smartcard ticket? Are you proposing supplying every single last doctors surgery and hospital with some form of ticket machine that can validate a smartcard thus adding to the workload of medical staff who are underpaid and worked to the bone as it is?
Newcastle has a scheme where if you’re travelling with a pass before 9:30 if you show an appointment letter to the driver you can travel free
But so few buses run outside of the times you stated on Saturdays and Sundays would councils actually save any money by implementing it?Make the ENCTS scheme 9.30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Friday and 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, when morning peak restrictions are irrelevant. Then fund it properly!
Sorry but that is plainly untrue.In my early 30’s and I’ll admit I have a pass on the grounds of disability. But I genuinely needed my pass as I literally wouldn’t have been able to afford going to work without it
Woah, exaggeration much?
My local surgery has automated things quite a bit using technology. The NHS desperately needs to implement new technology to improve services, and it would make sense to implement something that enables things like validating parking (thus offering free parking to those staying in hospital even if visitors have to pay, or can perhaps get discounts over time etc) and potentially validating travel.
I get people are 'worked to the bone' but can't see why someone who has an appointment can't tap in upon arrival or before departure, to flag their pass.
You’re assuming I only had to take one bus to get to work. I actually had to travel from North West London to Canary Wharf 5 days a week... (no I didn’t work in finance)Sorry but that is plainly untrue.
If a job paid so little that it didn't cover the bus fare for a reasonable distance it'd simply wouldn't be worth the employers time to advertise (considering it'd have to be less than one hour per day on minimum wage) and any job that covers the transport is better than being on benefits financially.
On a neighbouring thread there are some arguing the toss about use of the passes on night buses - this would make the position clear. No, it'd probably save very little to the councils, probably none in some areas, but it'd bring clarity.But so few buses run outside of the times you stated on Saturdays and Sundays would councils actually save any money by implementing it?
And how to you propose to pay for all this equipment that would allow people to tap in and out at doctors surgeries and hospitals? Who pays for it? Where does the money come from? Ticketing equipment isn't cheap you know!
Based on 46 weeks of work a year on an annual pass that works out as £3.69 per day or 27 minutes of work at minimum wage and is a lot less than many others have to pay. Presumably not all of your coworkers are ENCTS holders and therefore have to pay similar (if not more considering many low wage workers have been priced out of London).You’re assuming I only had to take one bus to get to work. I actually had to travel from North West London to Canary Wharf 5 days a week... (no I didn’t work in finance)
Based on 46 weeks of work a year on an annual pass that works out as £3.69 per day or 27 minutes of work at minimum wage and is a lot less than many others have to pay. Presumably not all of your coworkers are ENCTS holders and therefore have to pay similar (if not more considering many low wage workers have been priced out of London).
Then you catch the bus the whole way for £848 a year or use the season ticket loan scheme that almost every half decent employer in London offers. Your non disabled colleagues were obviously able to afford to get to work somehow so it must have been possible on the wages that they were offering. I sometimes wonder whether some ENCTS commuters simply consider themselves too special to pay bus fares.Unfortunately I couldn’t afford to spend nearly £4000 upfront on a yearly 1-6 Travelcard...
Unfortunately I couldn’t afford to spend nearly £4000 upfront on a yearly 1-6 Travelcard...
Catch a bus from Uxbridge to Canary Wharf, are you living in a dreamland? And no, the well known highly regarded supermarket beginning with W did not offer a season ticket loan.Then you catch the bus the whole way for £848 a year or use the season ticket loan scheme that almost every half decent employer in London offers. Your non disabled colleagues were obviously able to afford to get to work somehow so it must have been possible on the wages that they were offering. I sometimes wonder whether some ENCTS commuters simply consider themselves too special to pay bus fares.
Not with the rent and social care I was paying...How often did you get paid? Surely you could buy weekly or monthly tickets?
I do find it rather amazing that someone can have a job and not be able to afford travel. How the hell does everyone else do it? We have a minimum wage.
So you should remember the fuel protests in 2000, even if you weren't directly affected. Those protests have seriously impacted government policy ever since.
And there's the real issue. It is not up to bus companies to subsidise social care.Not with the rent and social care I was paying...
How often did you get paid? Surely you could buy weekly or monthly tickets?
I do find it rather amazing that someone can have a job and not be able to afford travel. How the hell does everyone else do it? We have a minimum wage.
And there's the real issue. It is not up to bus companies to subsidise social care.
This, when I started working I got £6 an hour...Minimum wage changes with age, the younger you are the less you get.
Fuel prices were about 80p/litre when the fuel protest hit. However, it was the causation that was the issue as it was apparent because of the fuel duty escalator. When the price subsequently increased, it was more macro reasons. The FDE was effectively removed after the fuel protests and indeed, fuel duty has been frozen since 2011.It's ironic that the price per litre was around 70p or so then? The problems really hit when it was approaching £1/litre during the worst of it.
Now we're around the £1.20/litre mark. Even accounting for inflation, it seems that the protests were soon forgotten about.
Not with the rent and social care I was paying...
And there's the real issue. It is not up to bus companies to subsidise social care.
To be fair, in my case are the bus companies actually ‘loosing out’? I’m sure TfL pay those operators regardless of what ticket is used.Fuel prices were about 80p/litre when the fuel protest hit. However, it was the causation that was the issue as it was apparent because of the fuel duty escalator. When the price subsequently increased, it was more macro reasons. The FDE was effectively removed after the fuel protests and indeed, fuel duty has been frozen since 2011.
Think we're drifting a bit here.
I'm sure this is one of many instances where we have someone who is on minimum wage (but it could be a pension) and is struggling to make ends meet whether their outgoings are social care, utilities, rent or whatever. However, should it be that a bus company should effectively receive a derisory amount because of that, and that the burden is increasingly shifted onto other fare paying passengers? That does seem that the bus company is getting the thin end of the wedge. We wouldn't expect supermarkets to give people half priced food (but with amenity foods like booze and chocolate excluded) on account of holding a pass....?
To be fair, in my case are the bus companies actually ‘loosing out’? I’m sure TfL pay those operators regardless of what ticket is used.
Your solution is a scrappage scheme. The rag-bag of journeys which would still be allowable would make bus travel in England similar to rail travel i.e. an accountant-led scheme to wring every last penny out of susceptible people whose only 'crime' is to wish to travel between two places with the minimum of fuss, a degree of comfort and without being harassed, but who constantly come up against employees of TOCs whose avowed intention is to make sure none of those situations pertain if they can help it.The ENTCS scheme needs to be heavily overhauled.
One way of doing this is to change the start time from 0930 to 1030 in the morning and the end time from 2300 to 2100 which would allow operators an extra hour in the morning and an extra two in the evening to raise revenue which is vital to keep the service going, the bus cannot run on fresh air and the driver won't work for free.
The alternative is to introduce an afternoon peak restriction between 1600 and 1830 meaning the ENTCS pass won't qualify for free travel in these times, however the disabled (orange stripe) version would remain valid as the holder could be blind, deaf or have a hidden disability e.g autism (and there are different grades to those who are autisic, some are mild and some are servere).
The restriction would only apply to the senior (blue stripe) version, as Ethel and Doris may simply be busing it around the county / unitary for the day as its free but at what cost? If the route doesn't make any cash - its withdrawn, as operators won't waste valuble resources that could go towards improving a route that does make cash.
The other solution would be limiting the pass to certain journey's of the day e.g. the pass is valid on journeys between 0930 and 1230 into the nearest town / city with reasonable facilities, the return journey must be made between 1345 and 1600. Which would cut down on those who are just travelling for the sake of it. Reasonable facilities includes access to NHS services such as doctors surgery and hospital, access to a range of retailers, access to financial services which would include the post office. The pass would be restriction free at the weekends.
My solutions are by all means not brilliant but its a start.