A number of difficulties have arising during the planning. First, the bus pass has not arrived. We contacted the Passenger Transport Executives where we live (Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire) and they are trying to speed things up. They also intend to issue a press release about our trip and take photographs of us climbing on to a bus. The second difficulty is the definition of a local bus. Neither the staff of the PTEs or of the main bus companies seem to be clear about their policy. We are working on the assumption that a local bus is one on which you cannot book a seat: that is, a bus which randomly picks up passengers at bus stops or stations. Third, it is difficult to find timetables. There is no longer a national bus directory so we have to search all kinds of websites to get the data. Its easy in a PTE area but where buses cross into county areas, the information gets patchy. Then you find the perfect bus but the small print tells you it only runs twice a week. Fourth, its very difficult to find a good bus where there is a good rail link. Its clearly not in the bus companies interests to compete. Lastly, finding buses on Sundays is a nightmare.
Our planned route is as follows:
1st April - Berwick-upon-Tweed, Alnwick, Gosforth
2nd April - Gosforth, Newcastle, Chester-le-Street, Durham, Darlington, Richmond
3rd April - Richmond, Northallerton, Thirsk, York, Selby, Doncaster, Sheffield
5th April - Sheffield, Chesterfield, Nottingham, Leicester
6th April - Leicester, Northampton, Milton Keynes, Oxford
7th April - Oxford, Swindon, Chippenham, Bath
8th April - Bath, Wells, Taunton
9th April - Taunton, Tiverton
10th April - Tiverton, Exeter, Bude, St Columb Major
11th April - St Columb Major, Truro, Penzance
12th April - Penzance, Lands End, St Ives, Penzance
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Bus Journeys for Free using National Bus Pass
Second Bus Trip - Dover to Gretna Green April 2009
On 1st April 2009, the anniversary of the provision of a National Bus Pass for pensioners, we
are setting out on another epic journey. This time we start on the south coast at Dover and
will travel by local bus to the Scottish border at Gretna. It will take 41 buses and we shall
stop off with friends in Canterbury, London, Cambridge, Birmingham, Shropshire, Greater
Manchester and Kendal. If our planning works, it will take eight days.
We were slightly taken aback by a story which seems to have originated in The Times on
28th March and was then followed up by other media, saying that on the 1st April the
Government were going to limit the buses which would accept the National Bus Pass. In
fact, on this occasion, it seems we can trust the Department of Transport spokesman who
said they were just clarifying what buses could be regarded as local. This was a problem
which came up before our last trip and we adopted the definition of a local bus as one which
randomly picks up passengers at bus stops or stations and cannot be booked. We knew the
pass would not work on coaches, National Express or the like. I was asked to go on GMTV
tomorrow, 30th March, to comment on the story but I persuaded the researcher it was not
much of a story so I've missed my chance for fame.
We don't expect much media coverage of this trip which will reduce the fun a bit but maybe
we will read our books this time. Next blog from Canterbury.
First Bus Trip - Berwick -on-Tweed to Lands End
April 2008
On 1st April a free bus pass for England becomes available to people aged 60 and over. On that day, we are planning to travel from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Lands End using only free buses. We are not taking the fastest or shortest route but will be prepared to be diverted by an interesting destination blind on a bus. We have booked small hotels in Berwick and Penzance but otherwise are staying with friends throughout the trip. We expect it to take 14 days.We have called ourselves the Grauniad Girls because we are both addicts of the Guardian cryptic crossword and intend to comment on the day's crossword on this blog as we proceed.
On 1st April 2009, the anniversary of the provision of a National Bus Pass for pensioners, we
are setting out on another epic journey. This time we start on the south coast at Dover and
will travel by local bus to the Scottish border at Gretna. It will take 41 buses and we shall
stop off with friends in Canterbury, London, Cambridge, Birmingham, Shropshire, Greater
Manchester and Kendal. If our planning works, it will take eight days.
We were slightly taken aback by a story which seems to have originated in The Times on
28th March and was then followed up by other media, saying that on the 1st April the
Government were going to limit the buses which would accept the National Bus Pass. In
fact, on this occasion, it seems we can trust the Department of Transport spokesman who
said they were just clarifying what buses could be regarded as local. This was a problem
which came up before our last trip and we adopted the definition of a local bus as one which
randomly picks up passengers at bus stops or stations and cannot be booked. We knew the
pass would not work on coaches, National Express or the like. I was asked to go on GMTV
tomorrow, 30th March, to comment on the story but I persuaded the researcher it was not
much of a story so I've missed my chance for fame.
We don't expect much media coverage of this trip which will reduce the fun a bit but maybe
we will read our books this time. Next blog from Canterbury.
First Bus Trip - Berwick -on-Tweed to Lands End
April 2008
On 1st April a free bus pass for England becomes available to people aged 60 and over. On that day, we are planning to travel from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Lands End using only free buses. We are not taking the fastest or shortest route but will be prepared to be diverted by an interesting destination blind on a bus. We have booked small hotels in Berwick and Penzance but otherwise are staying with friends throughout the trip. We expect it to take 14 days.We have called ourselves the Grauniad Girls because we are both addicts of the Guardian cryptic crossword and intend to comment on the day's crossword on this blog as we proceed.
6 comments:
Leaving Newcastle had its surreal aspect which encapsulates this 'mad/crazy project' the wonderful bus left the splendid bus station being pushed backwards by 6 men no reverse gear!
Hi Christine. Sounds even more fun than you hoped. Certainly better than my travel experience Tuesday morning when I missed a plane from Barcelona to east Midlands and had to get a flight to Luton and then £140 taxi to east Midlands to pick up the car in time to do a burial at Mexborough Cem. Serves me right for using planes and private transport!
I've saved last night's Sheffield Star article in case you miss it.
Love,
Matthew
Hi Christine. Sounds even more fun than you hoped. Better than my transport experience on Tuesday morning when I missed a flight from Barcelona to east Midlands and had to get one to Luton and then £140 taxi to East Midlands to pick up the car in time to do a burial at Mexborough Cem. Serves me right for using airplanes and private transport!
I've saved last night's Sheffield Star article in case you miss it.
Love,
Matthew
am amazed with your exciting and interesting bus trip from one end of England to the other.
I am sure it will encourage other people to travel and see friends and to use public transport
Can i suggest you add all the bus fares and donate to a worthy cause
You're certainly very famous! Have people started to follow you yet?
Good on you, Grauniad girls. DfT's meticulous economic guidance to local authorities suggests that bus operators should only be paid about 10p per trip for journeys, like yours, "generated" by the new scheme. Whilst this means that the authorities can save money, operators can find themselves with buses full of pass holders but which don't cover their costs, which will be bad news for exactly the kind of service you are using.
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