Andy C Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 That is what I also said, I have driven for 20 years partly with help of medication. Now it is no longer possible for me to drive unless I wish to commit suicide/manslaughter. Still this government considers me perfectly healthy when it saves them money in making that decision which is why it is probably the right decision to cut free travel provided above and beyond the requirements under the national scheme rather than axing bus services. This way you still have the transport available, its just you will have to pay at peak times. Also it doesn't seem that bad given you had to pay travel costs when you drove... Obviously it would be preferable that the Con/Dem government wasn't slashing and burning.... ---------- Post added 31-01-2014 at 12:21 ---------- SYPTE have announced their intentions publicly http://www.sypte.co.uk/media.aspx?id=3788 • FreeBee bus services to be ended • OAP and disabled free travel cut back • Community transport fares to rise • Peak time express park and ride services cut • But the good news is child fares frozen FREE bus services in Sheffield and Rotherham are to be discontinued and the concessionary fare scheme for older people scaled back as transport chiefs look to make big budget savings from April. The proposed cutbacks, which are due to be considered next week by councillors, come as South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) and South Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority aim to make savings of around 10% to their annual budget. Under the proposals the two FreeBee bus services in Sheffield and Rotherham centres, which are funded by public subsidy, would be discontinued from the end of April. And the express 638 bus service in Doncaster, which runs weekday peak times between Doncaster North and South Park and Ride sites via the Town Centre, is proposed to be discontinued from the end of April. The OAP and disabled persons concessionary travel scheme could also be scaled back so that weekday free travel is available from 9.30am to 11pm, bringing South Yorkshire in line with the rest of the country outside of London. Councillors are also due to consider scaling back of concessionary travel on train services. Proposals are also to cut grants to community transport services, although operators will be able to offset this by raising fares by 50p. But travel chiefs say that the good news is that child concessionary fares won’t go up this April and that evening, weekend and rural bus services funded by SYPTE have been protected from cuts too. Talks are taking place with operators with a view to introducing new young persons’ daily and weekly tickets, which will help to make public transport even more affordable. Today’s announcement comes as the economic climate within the region remains gloomy, with the South Yorkshire district councils and many other public sector organisations being forced to make significant cuts. Over the past three years SYPTE has had its budget slashed by more than £17 million and has made deep cuts in its workforce. The budget cuts which SYPTE/SYITA is making to its budget for next year total £8.3 million, and is faced with reducing its workforce by a further 16%. SYPTE oversees and delivers public transport and is specifically responsible for maintaining the county’s public transport infrastructure, including its interchanges and bus stops. It also subsidises bus services which operators say don’t make enough money to be commercially viable. These services, which make up a sixth of all bus miles in the county, are mainly evening, weekend and rural services. Cllr Mick Jameson, Chairman of South Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority (SYITA), which oversees the work of SYPTE, said: “We don’t like having to raise fares and cut back on services but when your budgets are being slashed then there simply isn’t a great deal of choice. The savings have to come from somewhere. “The good news is that we have largely been able to protect the bus network and that child fares aren’t being touched this year.” Over the past two years SYPTE pulled in around £150 million worth of funding from Government and European sources for transport projects such as Tram-Train, Bus Rapid Transit, as well as new cycle facilities and schemes to boost access to jobs and training. It was named as Integrated Transport Authority of the Year in the 2013 National Transport Awards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waco Kid Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Children just about everywhere else get half adult fare on buses. Have done for years. "Just about everywhere" fails to include some significant places. A quick google reveals: Liverpool - £2.10 flat fare for adults; £1.40 for kids Nottingham - £1.00 flat fare for kids; £1.00 or £1.70 fare for adults depending on distance travelled. Cardiff- £1.70 for adults; £1.20 for kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutch Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Last time I travelled at peak time it took 50 minutes to get to the city centre. I could probably walk it in the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minimo Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Freebee is always packed when I use it, so it will be very much missed. Especially now the market is on the Moor. Could they not have a flat rate fare of, say, 50p for everyone, including pensioners? I would pay it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy1975 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Freebee is always packed when I use it, so it will be very much missed. Especially now the market is on the Moor. Could they not have a flat rate fare of, say, 50p for everyone, including pensioners? I would pay it. Firsbus already do a sheffield centro where the fare is only 50p within the city centre. Sheffield Centro - 50p Getting around Sheffield city-centre has never been easier... If you shop or work in Sheffield city centre, Centro is just the ticket for you. For just 50p you can hop onto any First bus and travel within Sheffield's central shopping district. And our frequent service means you'll never have to wait long for a bus. So why not give your legs a rest and save time by hopping on a bus and travelling in comfort from one end of the city to the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy C Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Firsbus already do a sheffield centro where the fare is only 50p within the city centre. Sheffield Centro - 50p Getting around Sheffield city-centre has never been easier... If you shop or work in Sheffield city centre, Centro is just the ticket for you. For just 50p you can hop onto any First bus and travel within Sheffield's central shopping district. And our frequent service means you'll never have to wait long for a bus. So why not give your legs a rest and save time by hopping on a bus and travelling in comfort from one end of the city to the other. Indeed - plenty of buses running around the City Centre already and most people are likely to have a day ticket, season ticket or concessionary pass for the buses anyway. From the area around Castle Square tram stop (High Street/Angel Street/Arundel Gate) to Moorfoot you have the following buses: 20,20A,25,25A,43,43A,44,75,76,79,79A,83,83A,87,88,97,98 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShefStealth Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 This was posted yesterday by SYPTE - would probably be looking to be conveniently missed as posted to that and not the travel south yorkshire website. http://www.sypte.co.uk/media.aspx?id=3788 - Freebee bus services in Sheffield and Rotherham to end - OAP and disabled concessionary fares scaled back (though not by a great margin) - Community transport fares to rise by 50p per journey - Child fares to remain as they are Not great for our older people or people with limited mobility. Not great for a lot of South Yorkshire businesses either, including the new Moor Markets and Rotherham Parkgate either. Parents will be breathing a sigh of relief for the moment though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Bynnol Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 jimmy1975 put this up two days ago Oap bus pass getting out and about post 36 Might deserve its own thread though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spooferman Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 makes a change from us younger people getting hammered for tax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No User Name Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Would people be likely to use the Freebie if it had a flat fare of, let's say, a quid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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