On Sun, 17 Feb 2008 16:51:43 +0000, Ian Jelf
wrote:

In message
,
Mizter T writes
Which brings me round to thinking about the new English National Bus
Pass scheme for those 60+ or with a qualifying disability that
launches in April, which will allow holder to have free *local bus*
travel between 9.30am and 11pm weekdays and all day at weekends. I'm
reminded of a story Peter Masson told of a challenge he set himself in
his youth, which was to circumnavigate London in a day - but using a
"Green Rover" ticket which only allowed for travel on London Country
buses (the green ones), not LT's Central area buses (the red ones). I
believe he managed to get most of the way round on his Green Rover,
though did have to pay a fare on one or two bus routes.

So thinking along these lines, I eagerly await hearing of older
English folk who will take on the challenge of trying to cover great
distances using their free national bus pass, obviously only using
local buses. It could start off relatively small - for example a
journey between London and Brighton, or Manchester to Leeds - but
then it could gradually mushroom - Leeds to Newcastle, Manchester to
Newcastle, London to Newcastle, indeed Brighton to Newcastle... and we
haven't even considered the south west yet, let alone Land's End.

London to Brighton is 68 (London to say Camberwell Green) then 468
(Camberwell Green to Croydon) then 405 (Croydon to Redhill) then
Metrobus 100 (Redhill to Crawley) then Metrobus 273 (Crawley to
Brighton).

I think Leeds to Newcastle would be a heck of a struggle these days due
to previous cuts in North Yorkshire. googles Well Newcastle - Durham
- Darlington - Richmond - Ripon - Leeds would be possible but I doubt
you'd achieve a return trip in a day.

I do wonder if the "local bus" aspect of the new concessionary pass will
sometimes lead to confusion as to what does and does not constitute a
"local bus". Trent's TP service is one "grey area" I'd say. There
also was once a National Express service which became a local bus for
part of its length in the Pennines somewhere I seem to recall.

Certainly the National Express services from Newcastle to Scotland via
Jedburgh worked on that basis and I think they still do.

http://www.nexus.org.uk/wps/wcm/reso...NAT-070305.pdf

--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!