Sheffield freedom ride pensioners

[sheffbag]

I may have took offence unduly, and may have misinterpreted your comment, and with that in mind, sorry for calling you a troll. you ask me how sypte could fund travel to Leeds.

 

again I will say this, remove the subsidy paid to Northern Rail, which takes people from Sheffield to Leeds. SYPTE could just pay for the free train travel in South Yorkshire. What is left over could pay for a bus which would run from Barnsley to Leeds, as has been well pointed out it would be a futile exercise from Sheffield. So it is not competition with other bus routes, it could run along the motorway. Its fare should be around a one third of the train fare, to make it an attractive alternative to the train.

If Sheffield were to have buses to other cities, Nottingham, Derby, it would be done on a trial basis, to see if they were cost effective. These services would obviously not be exclusive to pensioners. I don't know the logistics, but I wouldn't imagine it'd be that hard. Pronto or Red Arrow could be extended. I don't know how bus routes work, but I imagine that sypte is putting up the red tape to make these things impossible. I could be wrong, often am to be truthful

Thanks for that

 

The problem with what you are suggeting would make the fare £1.80-2.50 return. This is not cost effective at all for the operator or for reimbursment.

 

As Bus driver1 has said there are problems with cross-boundary routes as well as length of routes having other restrictions on them (Blame the EU for that)

 

I get what you are saying but it is not a practical option and there are other ways of getting around as has been demonstrated. If it was then the operators would have already tried it (see the X32) and made money

 

---------- Post added 15-07-2014 at 16:22 ----------

 

OK Johnny so we've kind of agreed or at least established on the routing issues but what about the parity between OAP and disabled users. Would you say that both at 9:30 is acceptable as that is equal and is in line with other authorities?

[alchemist]

I may have took offence unduly, and may have misinterpreted your comment, and with that in mind, sorry for calling you a troll. you ask me how sypte could fund travel to Leeds.

 

again I will say this, remove the subsidy paid to Northern Rail, which takes people from Sheffield to Leeds. SYPTE could just pay for the free train travel in South Yorkshire. What is left over could pay for a bus which would run from Barnsley to Leeds, as has been well pointed out it would be a futile exercise from Sheffield. So it is not competition with other bus routes, it could run along the motorway. Its fare should be around a one third of the train fare, to make it an attractive alternative to the train.

If Sheffield were to have buses to other cities, Nottingham, Derby, it would be done on a trial basis, to see if they were cost effective. These services would obviously not be exclusive to pensioners. I don't know the logistics, but I wouldn't imagine it'd be that hard. Pronto or Red Arrow could be extended. I don't know how bus routes work, but I imagine that sypte is putting up the red tape to make these things impossible. I could be wrong, often am to be truthful

 

TBH I am wondering WHY SYPTE would want to provide a subsidised means of travel to Leeds, or any other place outside SY for that matter?

[RollingJ]

TBH I am wondering WHY SYPTE would want to provide a subsidised means of travel to Leeds, or any other place outside SY for that matter?

 

They don't, and it's probably not within their remit, anyway.

[sheff1johnny]

Thanks for that

 

The problem with what you are suggeting would make the fare £1.80-2.50 return. This is not cost effective at all for the operator or for reimbursment.

 

As Bus driver1 has said there are problems with cross-boundary routes as well as length of routes having other restrictions on them (Blame the EU for that)

 

I get what you are saying but it is not a practical option and there are other ways of getting around as has been demonstrated. If it was then the operators would have already tried it (see the X32) and made money

 

---------- Post added 15-07-2014 at 16:22 ----------

 

OK Johnny so we've kind of agreed or at least established on the routing issues but what about the parity between OAP and disabled users. Would you say that both at 9:30 is acceptable as that is equal and is in line with other authorities?

 

I personally feel that the extra money the councils found to fund disabled travel before 9.30 would have been better spent on supplying extension passes for disabled people and pensioners who are in work, and have to get a bus before 9.30. I do feel the 11.00 clock stoppage time seems stupid, as busses are not full at all this time. There could be an argument for half price travel for disbaled / pensioners before 9.30 but free travel before this time, is not neccesary for the majority of disabled pass holders. Also I believe pensioners who are considerably richer than most, should have to pay a premium for a bus pass. Same for a rich disabled person.

 

On the X32 topic, the reason it died as a service in my opinion was too many operators, who would not share tickets. This made it impossible to get a return. Also when it included meadowhall as a stop, it made its timings go kaput. So it would always be late when it got to its destinations. Eventually they changed the route, and this really finished the service off, as an hour jounrey suddenly had an extra half hour added to it. Also a faster train service was introduced.

Edited July 16, 2014 by sheff1johnny

[kev21662]

Shouldn't these people describe themselves as "Free Riders" instead of misusing the word "freedom" and abusing the name of American civil rights activists?

[sheff1johnny]

Maybe the name isn't a good one. I think that socialists workers probably decided on the title. I went on the freedom rides with only the hope of getting half price rail travel for both elderly/disabled. The elderly got half price, and disabled got free. I can understand why the pensioners wish to carry on. SYPTE shot themselves in the foot by giving the disabled free train travel. I am not going on any more freedom rides, as I got what I felt I was campaigning for. I got more than what I was after, TBH. I do feel sypte could have also tried to get themselves a better deal with Northern Rail.

[CheekyBandit]

If I wanted to make my point by breaking the law I would have used a bit more imagination than dodging fares on a short journey. I would have been more inclined to cause disruption to trains through Dore station - using realtime trains to pick the quietest time for freight traffic. The BTP would probably have to close the whole area for several hours likely affecting trains to/from/passing Chesterfield as well.

[No User Name]

Bump.

 

So, are the pensioners still at it then?

[woodmally]

Bump.

 

So, are the pensioners still at it then?

 

Possibly not they might actually be paying for a ticket for a change.

[chem1st]

Bump.

 

So, are the pensioners still at it then?

 

http://www.barnsley-chronicle.co.uk/news/article/8573/freedom-riders-plan-next-campaign

 

THE 'Freedom Riders' fighting for a return to free rail travel for pensioners are planning a three-week long offensive to pressure rail bosses into a climb-down.

 

There was an angry stand-off on Monday as about 90 people gathered outside Barnsley train station to board a train en-masse and refuse to pay. A heavy security presence stopped them entering the station.

 

On a 3 week long offensive campaign.

 

Heard on the grapevine that they want travel free to Sheffield every day to have a ping pong tournament whilst the tables are available and free to use beside the station. They'll then pit their best player against Northern/EMTs best player for a youtube televised game to decide whether or not free travel is reinstated.