Quote: Oldrocker @ 11th June 2014, 10:07 PM BST

I can't help being old.

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Yes it bloody is, you could have got in a fight with a tiger, tried to swim to Brazil or tugged on Billwill's beard when he's had a drink.

nb incredibly stupid woman on the news complaining on slow passport, she spent £100s chasing after her passport travel, staying in hotels etc.

The cost of getting it done fasttrack would have cost her an extra £30

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ 11th June 2014, 10:01 PM BST

And that's what I was getting at and the two thirds of welfare budget spend. However, I wanted to attack the elderly purely because I felt entitled to, much in the same way others attack the unemployed.

It's never nice when a significant group of people are criticised through no fault of their own.

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Most of that is pension in fairness that's been paid for and is based on contributions.

But shit like winter fuel allowance is money in the bin, when thousands are losing DLA or being agressively kicked off of JSA.

Quote: sootyj @ 11th June 2014, 9:23 PM BST

A London freedom pass is equivalent to approximately £3500 a year per pensioner.

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Nah, it isn't, because pensioners do not travel THAT much, because they don't commute into town each day. For a few people, perhaps, they make that many journeys, but not the average pensioner.

It's worth about £300-400 per year, which is about the amount Council Tax jumped up when the freedom passes were introduced.

Quote: billwill @ 12th June 2014, 12:41 AM BST

Nah, it isn't, because pensioners do not travel THAT much, because they don't commute into town each day. For a few people, perhaps, they make that many journeys, but not the average pensioner.

It's worth about £300-400 per year, which is about the amount Council Tax jumped up when the freedom passes were introduced.

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Same here billwill. My West Midlands pass gives me bus, train and tram over, well, the West Midlands.

I used it today for the first time in about two weeks.

Its not calculated on a per journey basis

The simplest calculation shows that SootyJ's figure of £3500 is waaaay too big.

Most pensioners trips are local bus trips, in London currently £1.45 on Oyster (freedom passes are Oyster cards)

Suppose she goes shopping 3 times a week and bingo one night a week.

that's 4 trips per week £1.45 each way

4 * £1.45 *2 Which is £11.60

52 weeks per year, makes £603.20

Quote: sootyj @ 12th June 2014, 1:00 AM BST

Its not calculated on a per journey basis

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So it has no basis in reality then!

It only makes sense to calculate on a per journey basis, because THAT is what London Transport charges the councils, as far as I am aware.

Quote: sootyj @ 12th June 2014, 1:00 AM BST

Its not calculated on a per journey basis

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I've always thought that when I offer my card to the sensor, that registers a journey that the bus company can claim back.

There must be some sort of checks on their billing of government?

Quote: Youngrocker @ 11th June 1814, 10:07 PM BST

I can't help being young.

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Quote: Oldrocker @ 12th June 2014, 1:08 AM BST

I've always thought that when I offer my card to the sensor, that registers a journey that the bus company can claim back.

There must be some sort of checks on their billing of government?

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It's just checking youre not using a.caramac bar

Freedom.passes.are.great.and probably.save a lot of lives keeping dodderier drivers off the road and people active

Quote: Oldrocker @ 12th June 2014, 1:08 AM BST

I've always thought that when I offer my card to the sensor, that registers a journey that the bus company can claim back.

There must be some sort of checks on their billing of government?

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I think you are more right than SootyJ in this respect.

I seem to remember Barnet council showed in their report how much of their budget went on 'free' travel.

On the other hand, I don't think they bothered logging journey on the old ('twerly') system that the Freedom Pass replaced.

It's a lost leader, isn't it? If some people didn't use the buses for free, certain bus routes would go completely.

So you're applauding the administration costs and waste of tax payer money for people who don't need free travel to be given free travel?

A certainly unique point of view.

With oyster technology it would be easy, to offer day time free bus and reduced tube travel and full cost in the rush hour.

nb saw this on Facebook and was well shocked, are people so enslaved to social media can they really not think as people any more.

http://www.cracked.com/blog/3-reasons-you-shouldnt-shame-your-kids-internet/

Do you applaud when they give stuff away at supermarkets, RCP? Okay, it's wasteful, but it helps the consumer.

Quote: sootyj @ 12th June 2014, 1:04 PM BST

With oyster technology it would be easy, to offer day time free bus and reduced tube travel and full cost in the rush hour.

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They already do, more or less. Off peak travel by oyster is at least a pound cheaper than on-peak.

Quote: Paul Wimsett @ 12th June 2014, 2:19 PM BST

Do you applaud when they give stuff away at supermarkets, RCP?

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Yes, I literally applaud. \0/

Of course comparing a private enterprise to a government is always a fair comparison. Which reminds me, must pay my Sainsburys tax this month.