Over 60s free bus travel

[tom1649]

I have a vague idea of how old people are. Am I unique in this respect? Perhaps some pensioners 'choose' to pay, in which case I apologise.

 

[BigVince76]

Is there an up to date list of NX routes that are classed as local? Also how are the Heathrow Hoppa hotel busses classed, they are operated by NX.

 

[34D]

Could anyone tell me what happens at the england/wales and england/scotland borders? Are there any easements/concessions to allow people to go a short distance in the 'wrong' country?

 

[Welshman]

Passengers with a Welsh pass are allowed to to travel into the centre of Chester and out again on through services, but not intermediately in the English section.

 

[34D]

Passengers with a Welsh pass are allowed to to travel into the centre of Chester and out again on through services, but not intermediately in the English section.

Thanks. Is there a reciprocal arrangement for people on the English side of the border too? Do ticket machines read both passes automatically?

 

[HSTEd]

Yes, although I wouldn't be surprised if a future spending review by a Government resulted in changes.

I doubt that somehow, the Grey Vote is just too powerful.

Which is why pensioners get enormous increases in state pensions and winter fuel payments and students get enormous increases in fees.

 

[dggar]

I doubt that somehow, the Grey Vote is just too powerful.

Which is why pensioners get enormous increases in state pensions and winter fuel payments and students get enormous increases in fees.

Pesions are linked the September CPI figure. The winter fuel payment was reduced last winter.

Perhaps students should vote.

 

[Welshman]

Thanks. Is there a reciprocal arrangement for people on the English side of the border too? Do ticket machines read both passes automatically?

I think not, because there isn't really any equivalent large centre/tourist attraction on the Welsh side of the border about the same distance into Wales as Chester is out of it [if you get my meaning!].

And as the concession is only for Welsh Pass holders already on the bus before the border is reached, there is no need for the ticket machines to be able to read both country's passes.

 

[PaulLothian]

Could anyone tell me what happens at the england/wales and england/scotland borders? Are there any easements/concessions to allow people to go a short distance in the 'wrong' country?

From Scotland, 'the Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel includes services
to and from Carlisle from Dumfries & Galloway and to and from
Berwick-upon-Tweed from the Scottish Borders. Your National
Entitlement Card does not give you free bus travel within Carlisle or
Berwick-upon-Tweed.'

Not sure how it works going the other way.

 

[Stats]

Could anyone tell me what happens at the england/wales and england/scotland borders? Are there any easements/concessions to allow people to go a short distance in the 'wrong' country?

There are concessions for cross border travel on some, but not all routes, provided that the pass holder's journey starts or finishes in the country of issue.

 

[scandal]

Perhaps students should vote.

As of 2011 the Higher Education Statistics Agency state there are 2,073,070 domiciled UK Students in Higher Education in UK HE Instutions.
The 2011 Census shows that 9,223,000 people are over the age of 65.

Even if all the students voted they would require turnout to be less then 22% from the over 65s to have any influence on policy, something which historical analysis of previous elections does not show.

 

[HSTEd]

Pesions are linked the September CPI figure. The winter fuel payment was reduced last winter.

Perhaps students should vote.

Perhaps they should provide sufficient staff at polling stations and sufficient ballot papers to allow all students who want to vote to vote.
And even if they had 100% turnout they would be swamped by the grey vote.

And why are the government bragging about the "greatest ever increase" in the state Pension then?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Can someone produce a list of the actual financial stage pension increase in monetary terms from 2005 to 2011....not just the percentage.

 

[Deerfold]

I think not, because there isn't really any equivalent large centre/tourist attraction on the Welsh side of the border about the same distance into Wales as Chester is out of it [if you get my meaning!].

And as the concession is only for Welsh Pass holders already on the bus before the border is reached, there is no need for the ticket machines to be able to read both country's passes.

Presumably it needs to be able to read English passes once the bus has crossed the border into England?

 

[Welshman]

I've never actually been on one of the Arriva No. 11 services from Rhyl/Holywell to Chester that's picked anyone up between the border and Chester Bus Exchange, but, yes, I suppose the machine would have to if there was anyone waiting.

 

[dggar]

Perhaps they should provide sufficient staff at polling stations and sufficient ballot papers to allow all students who want to vote to vote.
And even if they had 100% turnout they would be swamped by the grey vote.

And why are the government bragging about the "greatest ever increase" in the state Pension then?

I can't quite see why students would need special provisions to be able to vote.
I've no idea as to why the government is bragging, could be spin I suppose.

The indexing of pensions used to be linked to the RPI (which is the index used in the calculation in rail fare rises).
This was changed to the CPI at the earliest opportunity when the present Con_Lib government to power in 2010.
CPI is usually about 1/2% to 1% lower than RPI

 

[tbtc]

Perhaps they should provide sufficient staff at polling stations and sufficient ballot papers to allow all students who want to vote to vote

I can't quite see why students would need special provisions to be able to vote

A number of students were locked out of polling stations in Sheffield Hallam at the last election (despite arriving before 10:00) because there weren't sufficient staff/ papers/ facilities for them all to vote.

The indexing of pensions used to be linked to the RPI (which is the index used in the calculation in rail fare rises).
This was changed to the CPI at the earliest opportunity when the present Con_Lib government to power in 2010.
CPI is usually about 1/2% to 1% lower than RPI

The state pension goes up by the highest of this *or* growth in average earnings *or* 2.5%. Pensioners can't lose.

 

[dggar]

A number of students were locked out of polling stations in Sheffield Hallam at the last election (despite arriving before 10:00) because there weren't sufficient staff/ papers/ facilities for them all to vote.

The state pension goes up by the highest of this *or* growth in average earnings *or* 2.5%. Pensioners can't lose.

Deplorable as that situation was they weren't "locked out" because they were students.

from:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/StatePension/DG_069498

If you already received the State Pension or reached State Pension age before 6 April 2010

If this applies to you, changes to the State Pension will not affect you very much.

The rate of basic State Pension is increased from April each year by at least the level of growth in average earnings. The current Government's policy is that the basic State Pension will increase each year by the highest of:

•growth in average earnings
•growth in prices
•2.5 per cent
This does not apply to the additions to State Pension. Additional parts of the State Pension normally rise in line with the increase in prices.

So in 2012-13 basic State Pension and additional State Pension will rise in line with the Consumer Prices Index.

 

[tbtc]

Deplorable as that situation was they weren't "locked out" because they were students.

from:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/StatePension/DG_069498

It was polling stations in a Student area where the council (etc) didn't appear to have made provision for the Student population.

I'm sure that if the same happened in an area dominated by pensioners, where provision hadn't been made for the elderly population that we'd see plenty of headlines about discrimination.

And, as I said, the state pension goes up by the highest of three separate figures - which is potentially more generous than relying on just one indicator (the growth in average earnings is often above RPI, were we not in the economic mess that we are in of course!)

 

[dggar]

It was polling stations in a Student area where the council (etc) didn't appear to have made provision for the Student population.

Can you elaborate on what provision has to be made at any polling station in any particular area.

I'm trying to work out what special needs, you feel, apply to students.

 

[tbtc]

Can you elaborate on what provision has to be made at any polling station in any particular area.

I'm trying to work out what special needs, you feel, apply to students.

I mean not having sufficient polling stations/ ballot papers/ staff to deal with the expected numbers - presumably because they based figures on "permanent population" which ignored the thousands in the nearby Halls Of Residences/ Student Village who were eligible to vote in Sheffield Hallam.

 

[dggar]

I mean not having sufficient polling stations/ ballot papers/ staff to deal with the expected numbers - presumably because they based figures on "permanent population" which ignored the thousands in the nearby Halls Of Residences/ Student Village who were eligible to vote in Sheffield Hallam.

I don't know for certain but I would have thought that the basis for the figures would be the electoral register for a ward that the polling station serves.
The register is compiled every year so anyone in nearby Halls Of Residences/ Student Village who registered at the correct time would not be "ignored".

The concept of a "permanent population" does not exist in an electoral register.

 

[Deerfold]

I mean not having sufficient polling stations/ ballot papers/ staff to deal with the expected numbers - presumably because they based figures on "permanent population" which ignored the thousands in the nearby Halls Of Residences/ Student Village who were eligible to vote in Sheffield Hallam.

Sheffield Hallam was not the only area to have had similar problems in that election - I don't think the other areas also largely affected students.