Make bus fares fairer

Encouraging a lot more people out of their cars and onto a bus is one of several potential solutions, but I doubt this can be done with the existing high level of bus fares and the way fares favour the elderly. Older UK residents who have a freedom pass can travel for nothing after 9.30 on weekdays and at any time at the weekend. In the Lake District this leads to the first bus after 9.30 normally being full of senior citizens paying nothing. Indeed, so full that the tiny bus doing the Honister and Buttermere round can be full when leaving Keswick. I hasten to add that as an older resident I benefit from the current system. Fares are extortionate for those who pay – far too high – and this puts younger people off bus travel.

My suggested solution for bus travel in the national parks is threefold:

1. Do away with the 9.30 freedom pass start time. The number of bus commuters in the national parks tends to be small so there will only be a minor effect by having extra travellers before 9.30.

2. Charge freedom pass holders a reduced fare on journeys inside the national parks. This will benefit the bus companies and hopefully reduce their urge to charge high fares on all who currently pay. In other words, spread the load.

3. Halve the level of fares for all nonfreedom pass holders, or at least reduce them to a level where they make bus travel so attractive it cannot be ignored. David Levey