Sheffield freedom ride pensioners

[The Joker]

As for why I am so upset its because while you got all these discounts and free travel I had to fork out for the high fares.

 

I don't get any discounts or free travel and haven't done so since I was at college... many years ago now.

 

But guess what? I don't mind if pensioners get free or discounted rail travel.

 

And if it gets their dangerously driven cars off our roads, then it's a win-win situation for society.

 

Also if you think we can afford some groups to get subsidies where do you think we could get the money from?

 

Am I allowed to mention that we should close the loopholes that allow corporations to dodge billions in tax, or will Evil Baroness Thatcher's flying monkeys come after me again?

[martyn1949]

Am I allowed to mention that we should close the loopholes that allow corporations to dodge billions in tax, or will Evil Baroness Thatcher's flying monkeys come after me again?

 

You cannot blame companies for taking advantage of opportunities created by the stupidity of those in Government who, in their enthusiasm for the EU, allowed elements of cross-border trade within the EU to be counted in a new way that allows a company to exploit it?

 

If you discovered a tax rule that legally allowed you to pay around 50p a week instead of having £100 or more stolen from your wages by a rapacious government, you're seriously telling me you wouldn't use it?

 

Basically, for example, Amazon are legally allowed to say that when you make a purchase online, you are really buying from Amazon Luxembourg. (Who have negotiated a specially-low tax rate around 5% with the Luxembourg Govt).

 

Amazon Luxembourg then sends sufficient money to Amazon Uk to enable them to fulfil the order and make a minimal profit (the tax on which is also minimal).

 

This is completely legal, and is a natural consequence of the way the politicians run the EU. If the UK was an independent country with proper borders, such methods would be illegal. But with the EU as it is, it is almost impossible to stop them.

It's not a "loophole" - it's a direct consequence of allowing EU-wide trade in an online world. You see, the politicians, in their wisdom, never thought that you could buy something in Luxembourg by clicking a mouse in Bedford - but you can. And international law says that the sale takes place - not where the mouse is clicked - but where the seller is.

 

A similar idiocy was perpetrated by Gordon Brown, when chancellor. He created a £10k "personal allowance" for small companies, in the same way that you or I have a personal allowance of untaxed income each year. I asked my accountant if it were true? He said yes it was.

 

I said, "but every self employed person will open a small company and trade through that and get an extra £10,000 tax free each year". He smiled.

 

Apparently, this wasn't what Gordon wanted or expected to happen - but it took 4 years to sort out the mess and put things back the way they were.

 

That's the stupidity of politicians who have never lived or earned a living in the REAL world, only in politics.

 

One of the great things about Mrs T (who came from my home town) was that the was the ONLY PM who had a solid grounding in the real world outside politics.

Edited October 5, 2014 by martyn1949

[Annie Bynnol]

The reality is that there is less money available for South Yorkshire to spend on grants and subsidy for public transport. The government decides this and obliges compliance.

 

These are happening now:

Most 60 year olds in England will no longer get a free bus pass.

Children in South Yorkshire will soon be paying full fare.

Train fares to increase massively in South and West Yorkshire.

Many rural and off peak bus services will go.

 

The Barnsley folk want free train travel to Leeds.

They currently can get subsidised half fare on Northern trains in South Yorkshire or commercial 33% off fares nationally or if travelling with a regular partner (any partner on Northern).

 

Subsidies come from the money made available to support public transport in South Yorkshire and very beneficial agreements made in the past which involved SY, WY and the rail operator which end soon.

 

Effectively that amount is fixed by central government.

This fixed amount has then to be divided into two pots

1. The amount that has to be spent because the law says so.

eg ENCTS for those born before 1952 and disability passes

2. The needs of the people who do not live on commercially viable routes and times. Subsidy of children's fares etc.

 

Any changes in government funding affects item 2 and local politicians must decide priorities based on advice from SYPTE.

 

The councillors have decided to use the available money to support bus routes and services for everybody in the county and provide cheaper fares for children for three years and to provide disabled people with access to trains. ENCTS pass users get half-fare on local trains. This is only temporary

 

The Government is currently obliging Northern Rail (and soon the new operator) to increase fares substantially. Any subsidy to rail users will increase massively.

[The Joker]

One of the great things about Mrs T (who came from my home town) was that the was the ONLY PM who had a solid grounding in the real world outside politics.

 

And unfortunately, it was the Grocer's daughter from Grantham that did the most to destroy the industrial base of Northern England.

 

Even our former German enemies never succeeded on that front.

 

Aside from that, I found your post an interesting read. Thank you.

[robbert69]

FREEDOM RIDERS FREE TO GO! Charges against two rail cuts protesters aged in their 60s who were arrested at Sheffield Railway Station have been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

 

The CPS confirmed to The Star that charges of obstructing police and fare evasion against Tony Nuttall and George Arthur have been dropped.

 

The ‘Freedom Riders’ from Barnsley Retirees Action Group were arrested on June 23 during protests against cuts to travel passes for elderly and disabled people.

 

Tony Nuttall was charged with obstructing a police officer and George Arthur with obstruction and fare evasion.

 

The pair had been due to face trial at Sheffield Magistrates Court on December 8.

 

But criticism was levelled at police for the way the two were handcuffed and detained following a video of the arrests going viral via The Star’s website.

 

South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive has since reinstated passes for the disabled but has told the Freedom Riders it will not reinstate free travel for OAPs.

 

Mr Nuttall said: “This is another win for the freedom riders in our on-going battle. We won round one in June when we got back free travel for disabled people and half-price on the train for older people. Now we have won round two.

 

“Round three is coming up and we intend to keep on fighting as hard as we can.

 

“We are not going to do any freedom rides at the moment. But If the Transport Committee and the Combined Authority do not give us a commitment to reinstating free train travel by January, then we will re-start the freedom rides.” http://www.thestar.co.uk/…/charges-dropped-against-arrested…

[No User Name]

They should just take this as a win and just accept they aren't going to change anything else, they are utter utter morons.

[dafodil]

They should just take this as a win and just accept they aren't going to change anything else, they are utter utter morons.

Yes I was on parade with these Morons on remembrance Sunday some without legs or arms lost in defence of morons like you.

[mda03cn]

Yes I was on parade with these Morons on remembrance Sunday some without legs or arms lost in defence of morons like you.[/quote

 

My thoughts exactly, thank you.

[No User Name]

Yes I was on parade with these Morons on remembrance Sunday some without legs or arms lost in defence of morons like you.

 

Ah, so you support pensioners breaking the law then? Interesting thinking there. I'm not the moron here, the Barnsley pensioners are. Doubt many of them were fighting in the war so god knows why you have brought that up.

[dutch]

Ah, so you support pensioners breaking the law then? Interesting thinking there. I'm not the moron here, the Barnsley pensioners are. Doubt many of them were fighting in the war so god knows why you have brought that up.

 

There are stupid laws that don't deserve any respect, many of these have been or will be corrected over time.

Many respectful laws are useful and needed to deal with criminal behaviour and organise trade.

But law has also been used for very disrespectable purposes and these pensioners are not criminals, most of them have worked very hard all their life and are now treated disrespectful like rubbish by this government.

You like the word moron? that is probably because you have some connection with it somewhere.