monasqueen Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Perhaps increasing the commencement age to 65 or 67 for those who have not already qualified under the old rules might be a way "forward"(?). Scrapping them altogether will put a lot of the more elderly residents back onto the roads in their own cars, which I'm sure no-one will want to see. That will cause even more parking problems in the towns. Alternatively, it will stop pensioners from leaving their homes, and they will no longer visit towns to shop - they will all be "silver surfers", buying goods on Amazon or other internet sales outlet. Do politicians and others ever think about what life will be like for them when they are getting old? As an aside, have you heard about the farcical situation in Blackpool and Fylde? Only elderly residents of Blackpool are now entitled to free travel on the trams. Other people who live alongside the tramway route have to pay full fare. Needless to say, the buses along the parallel road are now full, and having to be supplemented, and the trams are half empty. Net result, extra cost, because more buses and bus drivers are needed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 How many under 67s are actually so reliant on free bus passes, either financially or because they have no other means of transport? Most people of that age that I know are still quite youthful and still in employment. A good move imho, but I accept it may not generate the additional revenue expected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moghrey Mie Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 There's no mention in the consultation about withdrawing the subsidised travel of 'friends and family' of bus drivers. Nor do they specify New Nobles Hospital car parking but that could be classed as a government building which they seem keen to start charging for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc.fixit Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 How many under 67s are actually so reliant on free bus passes, either financially or because they have no other means of transport? Most people of that age that I know are still quite youthful and still in employment. A good move imho, but I accept it may not generate the additional revenue expected. As always Gladys...........spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sock Puppet 2014 Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Maybe if the Government could publish a few of the figures in connection with Government employees retirement pensions, lump sums plus the MARS. I think that would put our society into perspective. Remember, there are people in the 50s (some younger) getting a wack of a pension until the day they die. And a lump sum like nobody's business. All these cuts, taxes and charges are doing nothing but keeping fat cats in fat cattery until the die they die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Stevens Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I got my bus pass under the old scheme (In England that is) at 60 a few years ago but the leaflets I get sent from time to time (if they are still valid) state that by the 6th April 2010 the age of eligibility for women became pension age and for a man the point of eligibility became the pensionable age of a woman born on the same day. This bit needs thinking about.. It says that between 2010 and 2020 the point of eligibility for a free bus pass will rise so that both men and women will eventually qualify at 65 on the 6th April 2020. It says that beyond 2020 the age for a bus pass will rise in line with any further changes to the pension age. It says that you will only wait to 65 to get a bus pass if you were born after 5th April 1955. I am not sure if this is all about making savings as is said to be the Isle of Man case. The leaflet says that in 2000 there was a challenge at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg so that by 2002 men and woman both got a bus pass at 60...as was the case when I got mine.....It was all about discrimination in a Human Rights context which is a quirky old deal at the best of times. Now they seem to be equating it by stages and men only a little bit younger than myself are waiting longer until their situation matches that of a woman as stated above. The above applies to England as the devolved administrations have their own arrangements apparently. The UK is also equating certain age related benefits such as Pension Credit and Guarantee Credit (Which can act like getting your state pension at 60 if you are lucky as was I!)...Some poor unemployable devils languish on Job Seekers until 61-62 before getting Pension Credit whereas a while back they could have got Pension Credit at 60 (Which you on IOM do not have).... This eligibility formula equating the man's situation to the pensionable age of a woman born on the same day as yourself seems to be the new way for other benefits....But I am out of it now and just takes the money and looks wise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wright Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I read the last three words with incredulity Barrie, still don't know whether to laugh or cry. You taking the piss? Want to look wise? Stop posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hagar the horrible Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 As someone said on the radio yesterday ... these so-called savings from not issuing free bus passes will only happen if said individuals then go on to pay for their journeys ... this simply won't happen ... most will use their cars so the 'savings' are totally spurious. Quite frankly anything which persuades half blind pensioners who shouldn't have a licence in the first place to use a bus rather than drive should be encouraged, whatever the so-called cost. I am half blind, there is no problem with my driving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Stevens Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 John, please, save it for the court...Preferably as the retained Jester of same....."Looks wise" is a quotation from a literary work in the context of one who accepted the money without question yet all the time knowing what's what.... That is your home work for this time next week... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Jefferson Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Proposals to raise the entitlement age for a free bus pass have been met with dismay by Age Isle of Man. It's one of the changes being considered by the Department of Infrastructure as it looks to make £5 million-worth of savings. The charity says the passes are highly valued - and for many older people are vital for getting out and about. Age Isle of Man's chief executive, George Quayle, says it's far from clear what savings would be achieved. Get rid of a few layers of pointless management and you'll get £5 million in savings in no time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Jefferson Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Nor do they specify New Nobles Hospital car parking but that could be classed as a government building which they seem keen to start charging for. They should start charging civil servants for their parking spaces in government offices. They get paid more than enough to be able to afford to pay for their parking spaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornetman Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cambon Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Make the buses free for everyone would probably cost less than charging because they could do away with most of the accountancy side, the charging systems that they keep having to replace at ridiculous cost, and reduce the likelihood of buses being the target of robberies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thud2 Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Are there any actual figures as to the number of pensioners and school children that use the buses? School kids were charged 20p/trip back in the 90's and I don't see any harm in pensioners paying half fare like they used to do less than 20 years ago. In fact does anybody actually know a poverty stricken pensioner over here?. I can see concern over the elderly getting back behind the wheel and I do remember that one of the reasons for given them free buses was to get them off the roads. I don't see the problem with people sitting a kind of test when either at a certain age or on recommendation from police/doctor whatever, and that would also create more revenue for .gov. But all of this is still pissing in the ocean when you see the salary bill for civil service management. They just can't make 5 million in savings with what they are proposing. eta - I appreciate that not all pensioners are on a £30 grand a year pension and there are some who are on a basic amount so we just need to means test for bus passes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moghrey Mie Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Make the buses free for everyone would probably cost less than charging because they could do away with most of the accountancy side, the charging systems that they keep having to replace at ridiculous cost, and reduce the likelihood of buses being the target of robberies. Or 'round for a pound' like Ken Livingstone used to have in London. Then you could go anywhere on the island for £1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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