Well they would be nearly 10 years older than when they were expected to pay 20p. For many over 60 years old, their health could deteriorate a lot in 10 years, plus the street-level pollution is likely worse in many towns and cities. For those now well into their '70s, the difference could be even more marked.
I fail to see the relevance of the origin or destination of a trip whether it is a bingo hall, food shop or doctors, - other than it implies a view that concessionary passes shouldn't be there for leisure travel. maybe the holder should carry documentation as evidence for when they are asked the question: "is your journey really necessary?".
We will all probably be old one day and not necessarily fit enough to walk every time, - distances that are trivial for the more fortunate fitter younger individual or the finacially better-off older person.
No, you are not understanding my point.
I am not talking about the same people, merely people in general. Not those who were 60 years old and who are now 70, but those who are 60 (yes, alright, 65) now.
I used the Bingo Hall because that is what happens to be at the end of the High Street. They (meaning people of any age with passes) seem perfectly able to walk down the High Street when shopping, yet come leaving Bingo, its a disorganised bus bundle of which teenagers would be proud.
I can't disagree with your point with regards to leisure travel. By the time I am "old one day", I doubt very much there will be a bus pass, and certainly not one as generous as that existing today, which users have allegedly "paid for all their lives" (somewhat difficult, considering it is less than 20 years old). I am fully in favour of giving people access to local services, which they should quite rightly have, but there seems to be an awful lot of ingratitude and indignation about their "right" to a pass, which has little semblance to reality. It was not designed to turn bus services into mobile social clubs for a jolly to get out of the rain.
If pensioners were told exactly how the system is (under)funded (as I suggest - divide the number of you by four, and see how many fare payers there are), or get told what their freebies are doing to their children's or grandchildren's fares, I think the views may be very different.