General Chat

That's the express buses, Ann.

We can use our passes on those in our area - any scheduled bus on the timetables, in fact. The only limitation as far as I know is the start time - 9.30 am here - to avoid oldies travelling when workers need the buses, but most of our drivers are kind and seem to relax the rules a little by a few minutes as it gets close to 9.30 am.

In some areas the longer distance buses -usually holiday areas and the bus often has ****X number are not included. That seems to vary by county though. I think it was Dorset we were told we couldn't get the X bus with our passes.

If you are Twirlie you could always pop in the shops and buy a Twirl to eat! :-D

Ah! yes....

AmdysMum, I have had my bus pass for sixteen years and the only change in that time has been that for the first three years or so I could also use it at the small privately-owned rail station that was a few miles north of us - but not at the busy town/city railway station which is a couple of miles down the road. I expect it was because our city station got a lot more revenue compared to the privately-owned station for whom every penny counted.

Local buses (local bus services, as you wrote, Gwyn) means any scheduled service but not privately-owned transport.

(EDit: I could have out that better - not buses such as Shearings etc.)

Our pal and spouse (both in their eighties) caught our regular service bus into the town bus station, hopped on another into a town in the next county then changed to another and made the journey to a seaside town where they enjoyed a lovely week.

Bob, it is - read back. :-)

I thought Twirlies was a contraction of

Too Early.....

We have used our passes in other areas.

We can’t get on the bus before 0930 as the computer won’t accept the pass as I understand it. We used ours a lot as our bus service is excellent and car parking is expensive.

Andysmum

This is what it says on our county council site regarding passes for older passengers...............

Free off-peak travel on local bus services across England, between 9.30am and 11.00pm, Monday to Friday and all day at weekends and public holidays.

JoyLouise, I always thought that English passes were only valid in the area where they were issued. I know when my mother had one it could only be used from where she lived to the nearest large town (Winchester). That was later relaxed a bit, but she could still only use it in Hampshire.

From what you say, that has obviously changed and I am a bit out of date!! :-(

and me now Joy, wouldn't go back for anything but I do miss the fabulous public transport - not in the current situation obviously :-0

Far far away, Island. :-D

AndysMum, English bus passes are valid in England but not Wales and Welsh bus passes are not valid in England so I expect the same rules apply for Scottish bus passes.

We are lucky as our buses into town are every ten minutes. I wonder whether that will change when we get back to the time we knew as normal.

If we want to get an 8am bus we are charged half price.

I never use my car into town as the parking fees are colossal. :-0

You're not in London then Joy? ;-)

:-D

We twirlies in the area where I live have long known we were twirlies. :-D

Get on the bus at 9.25 am and ask 'Am I twirly (too early)?' Most of our drivers are nice enough to say 'No pet. Get on.'

They can call me whatever they want if they let me on their bus. :-D

These oldies need keeping in check. First they try getting on buses for working passengers on their free tickets the cheeky so and so's, now we hear they're going to rebel against lockdown and risk jail. :-0 :-0 :-0

what's he on about now?
:-S

Our "bus" passes are actually travel passes and cover the whole of Scotland. There are no time limits for buses - any bus, any time, anywhere in the country. Ferries (for local residents only) are subsidised and trains are cheaper, although the latter are only for non-rush hour travel.

There have been calls at times for the passes to be stopped/restricted, but the Scottish Government, of all parties, have resisted this because they say that the passes more than pay for themselves. They reduce loneliness, let pensioners go shopping more than once a week, thus keeping the local economy going. I only use the car when I have a load of shopping to do and can't carry it all.

Lyndi
OMG , 11 pm. Weekdays the last bus is 5.30 and worse on Saturdays it’s 4.30!

Our free bus passes start at 9.30am, but from 8.30 we can get a concession and travel for the 'young person's ' fare if we show our pass ;-) I have frequently been a twirly in the past :-D The thing that got me is our pass is only valid until 11pm :-0, after that I should be at home wearing my tartan slippers with the pompoms on the front and sipping cocoa in front of the telly ;-)

I did read they might stop our rush hour travel which is not too bad, it will only affect me if/when my after school child care duties resume