transmanche
Established Member
- Joined
- 27 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 6,018
Discounted child fares are not always available elsewhere.Its not like getting on a bus in most places and asking for a child single to such and such.
For example, in Tyne & Wear you can only get the 60p child fare (or £1.10 all-day ticket) if you have an Under-16 Pop Card. (Metro ticket machines won't issue such tickets unless an Under-16 Pop Card is used.) And only children that are resident (or go to school) in the county can have one. Without one, you are relying on the operator having a commercial child fare. This applies to all children aged 5-15. And, as noted above, the commercial child fare may be more expensive than the £1.50 flat fare in London.
Similarly, in Manchester you need an igo card to get child fares for 11-15 year olds. And again, such cards are only available to children that are resident (or go to school) in Greater Manchester.
So (IMHO), the London system is superior as non-residents are allowed to apply for an 11-15 Zip Card and get free bus travel.