Has free bus travel for pensioners brought grey votes or simply given us grey hairs?

Scotland and Wales showed how it should be done,

How much should English bus operators receive for carrying pensioners for free? The proportion of adult fare received for each concessionary trip by operators varies between 36% to 74%, depending on where the trip starts. A trip from Bridlington to Scarborough will earn the operator £2.95, but only about £2.25 in the other direction!

How much should English bus operators receive for carrying pensioners for free? The proportion of adult fare received for each concessionary trip by operators varies between 36% to 74%, depending on where the trip starts. A trip from Bridlington to Scarborough will earn the operator £2.95, but only about £2.25 in the other direction!

‘That this mistake has been ignored is both cowardly and costly’

‘That this mistake has been ignored is both cowardly and costly’

“‘Bus travel demand among older people is best described by an exponential function.’ Discuss.” No, not an A-level Economics exam question, but a key issue underlying the current mess which is concessionary fares reimbursement in England. Unfortunately, the esoteric nature of most debate about the issue contributes to confusion and conflict. So where are we now and what lies ahead?

People aged over 60 now enjoy free local bus travel throughout Great Britain (the...