Current Affairs The Labour Party

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

I have no idea really. It's been a long time since I commuted on buses, but I'm sure I was paying between £2 and £3 for a return fare in those days, nearly 20 years ago. I remember some time in 2008 ish Arriva stopped running a lot of the evening services in Luton and a company called Grant Palmer took over, which meant anyone leaving town after 6 was shafted as return tickets weren't valid across the different operators. Things got expensive quickly but this was almost exactly about the time I changed career path and had to buy a car anyway (Grant Palmer would later shut down the evening routes to my area of town altogether as unprofitable).

Like a lot of these things I suppose there isn't a single answer that applies across the entire country given the disparity local economies. With different degrees of poverty, types of job, the local geography and whether masses of people are travelling in a single direction or not (or even travelling at all), there isn't going to be a single standardised demand for bus routes or ability to fund them.

It does seem overall that this is one of those Tory traps left for Labour, totally unfunded beyond 2024 and forcing Starmer to either let prices crank up immediately or make some unforeseen spending decisions. Is a raised cap the best response?

Indeed, there have always been huge disparities between urban and rural. Costs and reliability often rise and decline respectively when travelling across county borders and out of town/city to rural areas.

A £3 flay fare for a trip from Bristol to Weston-super-Mare is probably a bargain. A trip from the city centre to Eastville less so.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

What’s a bus, it’s been years since I’ve seen one around here……

Yes, rural coverage is a nightmare. Expensive and low usage rates.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

It should be all free.

Oh ok. Cool. I have to say this is: a) the most Davek response imaginable and; b) pure genius for the response potential.

*salute*

 

[Xizor]

What’s a bus, it’s been years since I’ve seen one around here……

Ask your crush, maybe he can set you up with one of his supposed models.

There was some other famous story about him and buses too, something about a whopping great lie plastered up the side of one and millions of daft old codgers getting taken in by it.

 

[peteblue]

I see small businesses are going to be hit with the ‘new’ living wage as well as a NI raise. I wonder what Starmer and Reeves think will happen next within these businesses. One mate of mine who owns another pub is already looking to close and turn it into apartments. He currently employs over about 20 staff including a manager, chef, bar staff and waitresses. All of whom will lose their jobs. I met up with our manager yesterday discussing options such as reduced hours, closing one or two days a week etc, all of which will mean less staff and reduced hours. Our pub runs on the basis of just break even but energy costs and no doubt increased brewery costs (as they deal with their own employee costs) will move it into a loss making venture. Ours is the only pub in the village, which we’ve run for the benefit of the village in terms of having a community hub facility and local employment. Starmer and Reeves need to get away from their metropolitan bubble and spend a bit of time with the forgotten folk in the countryside….

 

[peteblue]

Yes, rural coverage is a nightmare. Expensive and low usage rates.

The odd bus routes that do run through one or two villages (not ours) tend to have the big double buses which is a complete waste when a twelve or twenty seater would more than suffice, and could link up more villages…..

 

[Bruce Wayne]

You're against public transport being subsidised for people who need it for work.

We should demand more from the government.

It's already subsidised. Quite heavily. What about the cycle to work scheme? That's also subsidised, albeit to a lesser extent. Should I be able to get a free bike via the scheme?

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

The odd bus routes that do run through one or two villages (not ours) tend to have the big double buses which is a complete waste when a twelve or twenty seater would more than suffice, and could link up more villages…..

None of it is cost effective without passenger numbers.

After my last exam for my undergraduate degree, which was happily on a Friday afternoon, a few of us hit the campus bar. I had to meet folk near where I lived so got the last bus that ran direct between campus and the area I lived. 7pm.

The operator hired a taxi to run the service. Private hire car with the bus number taped in the windscreen. Even a minibus was less cost effective so the driver told me. It was just me, howling drunk, boring the arse off the poor taxi driver badgering him about public transport cost effectiveness. I'd been his only passenger all route.

Cheapest taxi ride ever.

 

[larrygobfiend]

I think it’d be in their best interests to leave pubs alone in the budget. I suspect they won’t .

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

I think it’d be in their best interests to leave pubs alone in the budget. I suspect they won’t .

I doubt they will leave them alone, think the big brewers will get it by the looks of it, not much to like if you are beneficiary of current system.

https://beertoday.co.uk/2024/10/27/pubs-small-brewers-pubs-1024/

 

[Kurt.]

What’s a bus, it’s been years since I’ve seen one around here……

It’s a massive advertisement board to let us know how much the NHS will get after brexit

 

[Rita_Poon]

inflation busting rise in national minimum wage.

this labour lot are simply grotesque! so much harm, so much hatred.

 

[davek]

inflation busting rise in national minimum wage.

this labour lot are simply grotesque! so much harm, so much hatred.

Paid for by raising bus fares.

Socialism in action.

 

[Rita_Poon]

inflation busting rise in national LIVING wage.

this labour lot are simply grotesque! so much harm, so much hatred.

corrected.

lowest paid about 6% up, so 1400 notes-ish a year better off.

Making work pay. £12.21 minimum 21 years old and over.

 

[larrygobfiend]

I’m torn on the minimum wage increase. To save money, a lot of companies only give rises to the minimum wage earners, leaving the rest of the workers disgruntled.

The cost of eating out has already gotten out of control and that’s now gonna get worse.