chem1st Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/dec/10/unemployed-free-bus-travel Free bus travel is to be offered to unemployed people in an attempt to help them find work under a new scheme announced on Monday by the country's biggest bus companies. About 70% of all bus routes in England, Wales and Scotland will be covered by the initiative, which follows advice from the work and pensions secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, that jobless people should do just that: "Get on the bus". David Miliband highlighted the problem of expensive bus fares in his report this year on youth unemployment, calling transport a "major problem" for some. He told the Guardian in July: "It's 17 quid to get from Hastings to Brighton. How many interviews do you have to go to before you get a job?" This is a good scheme, but it should also be extended to low paid workers (of which there are millions) too. Whilst pensioners on massive incomes get free travel, it is absurd that we deny low paid workers and the unemployed free travel, as they are the ones that need it most - a worker with free travel always has the ability of paying taxes, gone are the days when they are too skint to travel to work. An unemployed worker with free travel can gain work in the first place and become and underemployed low wage worker and pay increased taxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil-minx92 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Great idea. Another freebie for the ones that dont work to be paid for by those that do. Why not make it so that all the wages of everyone that works goes into a big pot and is split equally amongst every citizen in the country. That way everything is nice and fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chem1st Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 Great idea. Another freebie for the ones that dont work to be paid for by those that do. Why not make it so that all the wages of everyone that works goes into a big pot and is split equally amongst every citizen in the country. That way everything is nice and fair. We shouldn't do that with wages, we should do it with a tax upon land rents. We should fund a citizens income with a land value tax. Ideally we want to get rid of income tax, the Napolean wars ended a long time ago... And to be fair we should nationalise the buses and make them free for all, currently workers have to pay twice/thrice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SportsTrophy Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 That is a great idea, I would like to encourage walking at least half an hour a day in some fresh air to boost fitness and energy levels too. Being isolated is not much fun I would imagine and would give people a sense of dignity and self reliance. I would like to see the scheme carry on for at least 3 months into a persons working life to get them into a routine of using public transport and to ease the strain of the first few months at work when all other benefits are removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabelle Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 It is a good idea, but I think it should be restricted to travelling to job interviews or the job centre. I can envisage it being abused by unemployed people who will use it to travel to other places. I work full time but can't afford to drive, and struggle paying the £11 a week for the bus. I'd rather walk or cycle the 3 miles, as long as it's not icy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rampent Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Great idea. Another freebie for the ones that dont work to be paid for by those that do. Why not make it so that all the wages of everyone that works goes into a big pot and is split equally amongst every citizen in the country. That way everything is nice and fair. Sounds a plan. I'd vote for that. Good thinking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwaysright1 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Why not just make buses and trams free so everyone will use it more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dongle Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I thought the unemployed could claim there travel expenses back when attending interviews. Can't see why they need free bus passes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rampent Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I thought the unemployed could claim there travel expenses back when attending interviews. Can't see why they need free bus passes What? Do you want them to sit in the house all day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Web Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I thought the unemployed could claim there travel expenses back when attending interviews. Can't see why they need free bus passes Only for the first 5 interviews by the cheapest means possible and the interview destination must be 30 miles away from home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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