Comment on Labour votes AGAINST letting disabled people use the bus for free before 9:30am

meejle@lemmy.world ⁨23⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

• i_am_not_a_robot@feddit.uk ⁨20⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

  I think the point is, if you’re working you don’t need free bus travel. If you’re on the bus at that time of the morning then you’re probably working (or going to an important early morning appointment, who knows), and the buses are at their busiest so discouraging extra users at that time is beneficial. This might be your only form of transport if you are disabled though, so it seems unfair to force payment if you have no other option. I get why the early peak is excluded (you could argue the afternoon peak should be excluded too), although I’m at a loss as to why it finishes at 11pm.

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  • Tweak@feddit.uk ⁨8⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

    Really annoying that you’ve been downvoted for a very reasonable take.

    and the buses are at their busiest so discouraging extra users at that time is beneficial.

    This is the key justification. However, the issue it points to is that the government are putting the desires of a business (primarily First Group) before the needs of the population.

    The goverment should make law for the benefit of the people, and businesses should work within the law in service to the people, especially people that pay them. The bus companies should run more busses at peak times to meet the added demand disabled people bring.

    Bus companies get massive subsidies and the businesses are stuctured in such a way as to squirrel their profits away so they can demand more. That the government, the people supposed to represent us, are capitulating to them further is an insult at best.

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  • Eiren@lemmygrad.ml ⁨8⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

    “I think the point is, if you’re working you don’t need free bus travel.”

    Because there are exactly zero people in the country who are working but also poor, of course.

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    • i_am_not_a_robot@feddit.uk ⁨3⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

      That’s a fair point, but I was looking at it from the government’s angle. If you’re working, you have the money to pay for the transport to get you to work. If you can’t afford to eat after that, that’s a different matter entirely.

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      • Eiren@lemmygrad.ml ⁨3⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

        So what you’re saying is the government struggle with even elementary microeconomics?

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  • Redfox8@mander.xyz ⁨19⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

    Maybe if there was a public transport system still running that was not just a cash cow and stifled for the benefit of big oil then it wouldn’t matter who used it when.

    Some people wake very early and may only be well enough during rush hour to travel… and yet they’re not supported in doing so, even though it’d cost relative pennies.

    Oh and re your last Q, disabled people aren’t allowed to go out on the lash or to the theatre etc, they’re disabled so should be tucked up in bed staring at the samecwall they’ve been staring at all daytime. It saves the government tens of pounds a year that!

    PS I’m not being narky at you, rather the system.

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    • i_am_not_a_robot@feddit.uk ⁨11⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

      Yes, buses should be for the benefit of all. Unfortunately they are mostly run by private companies who want to make a profit.

      (Also I see that I got downvoted for trying to provide a balanced view of why this is even a policy, aren’t the votes supposed to be “adds to the discussion” not “I agree”?)

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