On 23/06/2013 19:32, Eric wrote:
On 2013-06-23, Roland Perry wrote:
In message

, at 09:13:01 on Sun, 23 Jun 2013, Recliner
remarked:
Roland is using his value judgments to restrict universal
benefits, without appreciating that not everyone shares his values.

Not so much my value judgements, as my interpretation of the value
judgements of those who designed the scheme.

But it seems to me that the free buss pass scheme subsidises a very
specific subset of retirees - those who have made the lifestyle choice
to live sufficiently far from the facilities they need to access that
they require a bus, together with there actually being a bus service
they can take advantage of.

Yes, your value judgements! Like that if a retiree does not live next
door to their doctor's surgery, adequate shops and any other support
they may need then they have made a "lifestyle" choice. What absolute
rubbish!

The place someone lives in modern Britain is pretty much a lifestyle
choice. We don't have lords restricting their serfs' movements.

Why does someone who lives near a useful bus route deserve subsidised
bus travel, while someone who doesn't live near a useful bus route
doesn't get subsidised petrol?

(answers may include references to the frequency of buses in urban and
rural areas, the likely voting intentions of urban and rural residents,
and which government introduced the national scheme)

--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK