trips to seaside
 

i have just seen in observer,that there is is little chance of getting the cost of £12-00p back down,it states that it is a excursion, but as margret say's it's a scheduled service.

Re: trips to seaside
 

I have been told from a reliable source that the owner of Coachlinks is contemplating charging half price to nowcard holders- £6 - for a few weeks until the LCC make their minds up.

They are contemplating doing this for the sake of the goodwill of their regulars. They won't be able to keep it up for long because they will be running at a loss because they will get no subsidy for doing it.

They are also re-negotiating a route change via Preston, in order to comply with the 15 mile rule

The Transdev coach (from the Burnley area) just happens :rolleyes: to have started a new coast route X64 which calls in at Accrington - but it is likely to have filled up with free passengers before it even reaches Burnley from Weir and Bacup

Re: trips to seaside
 

for previous info about this topic see
http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...ted-37731.html

Re: trips to seaside
 

every one is making out that it,s only O, A, P,`S AND THE DISABLED, that use the srevice well it`s not. by the way it has to be a scheduled service as you can stop the coach at eny bus stop up to preston.
a excursion is a short trip,

Re: trips to seaside
 

Anyway, well done Margaret R ... got herself a quote in the Observer from 'a local website' :mosher:

Re: trips to seaside
 

Have they quoted me in the paper? :eek: - they never asked - must look - will get back

PS - nothing on the website -will have to buy - unless someone tells me what was said

Re: trips to seaside
 

Yes, Margaret .. have named and shamed ya' .. LOL .. quoted from your original post on the other thread 'Dingles Get Better Treated'

Re: trips to seaside
 

;)good for you margaret r but i think they could have asked you first ..............

Re: trips to seaside
 

Have they actually used the word 'dingle' ?

Re: trips to seaside
 

No of course not ya' daft bat ... :D

Ok, here goes:-

"Regular day tripper Margaret Rothwell told a local website: "For the past 15 years these bus services have been well patronised, especially by pensioners, they go to Morecambe and Southport in the summer and to Blackpoool, Cleveleys and Fleetwood all year round.

They are services with an X number so they are scheduled services, not day trips. They are so popular they have often been full before the last pick-up point in Blackburn.

Last year Hyndburn Council made special concessions for the Fleetwood, Blackpool and Cleveleys bus, enabling pensioners and the disabled to use it at a special rate of £1. Now it will cost £12 and most pensioners won't be able to afford a day trip. It's a disgrace"

Love the 'Regular Day Tripper' label.

Not responsible for any typing errors ... :D x

Re: trips to seaside
 

Thanks Kate - saved me buying the paper :)

Re: trips to seaside
 

Re: trips to seaside
 

I did mail them to raise awareness of the problem - just didn't think that they would print without telling me

I don't mind - if the publicity works out for the best

Didn't someone once say ' there's no such thing as bad publicity' :rolleyes:

Re: trips to seaside
 

I dont think they have a chance now.
there days out has gone to road side, but they can not say you have not trade. [they say the best things in life are free but they are wrong]

Re: trips to seaside
 

At least they didn't say Margaret Rothwell, regular tripper, and noted dog dirt champion.:D

I once emailed them a lead about a story, about trade waste not being recycled in Hyndburn, thinking they would investigate, and they just quoted me verbatim. Worth bearing in mind, if someone doesn't want their name and address in the paper.

Anyway, well done Margaret for bringing the issue to a wider audience.

Re: trips to seaside
 

:o:dummy::do-one::do-one::thankya:

Re: trips to seaside
 

quote from shereen today transport manager coastlinks express; as from tuesday next week anyone using a Nowcard will be charged £6 return £3 single on all services, £12 single for anyone without the card, this will be for a limited period only untill the situation is sorted out with councils concerned, there will be notices in the busses to explain all.

Re: trips to seaside
 

Just so you know this is the latest on the nowcard from lancashire county council.

News : ENGLISH NATIONAL CONCESSIONARY BUS TRAVEL - LANCASHIRE, BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN AND BLACKPOOL

Re: trips to seaside
 

I have heard that last Friday, Transdev were told that their (Burnley area) coast buses will NOT be included in the Nowcard scheme.

It looks as though LCC realised that they couldn't give the concession to them without giving it to our Coastlinks Express too - so they have taken it from them too.

The prospects look bleak but the battle is not over yet

Re: trips to seaside
 

i have just been on northern blues site and they are charging £10 for blackpool,

Re: trips to seaside
 

X 64 route (Northern Blue owned by Transdev) That rate was put on the site before they found out that X64 wasn't in the Nowcard scheme - it might get revised

ps- or they might run at a loss to eliminate the competition

Re: trips to seaside
 

Well todays the day i dont have to pay 50p to go down accrington!!!

The Nowcard concession has gone free on local buses!!! Just going to try it out.

Re: trips to seaside
 

My neighbour tells me that many were not aware about the 9.30am rule (including him) and there was a lot of disgruntled pensioners on early morning buses.
He says that nowhere in his Nowcard documents did it say 'after 9.30am'

Re: trips to seaside
 

Well it works - just back from accy and didnt have to pay.

Lot of pensioners on the bus though!!

There are notices on the buses that if you want to travel before 9.30am then you have to pay full adult fare.

Re: trips to seaside
 

dont no if u so the news to day.
they are saying you can go free by jumping on one bus to another i can not see that happening with a lot of pensioners.

Re: trips to seaside
 

I have heard that a woman has set off from the scottish border and is attempting to get to Lands End free. She expects it to take her 12 days

Re: trips to seaside
 

Can the Now card be used in wales?

Re: trips to seaside
 

NoWcards are generally not valid in Scotland, Wales or Nothern Ireland, nor on train services, London Underground, Metro or tram systems.

Thats from that link that i put up further on up janet.

Re: trips to seaside
 

London Undergroud has reduced fares for pensioners after 9.30.

They can be seen crowding round the barriers at about 9.15, and are labelled as the 'Twirlies', because they are always too early.:D

Re: trips to seaside
 

Thanks Shillelagh, checked the link. I will have to pay when on holiday.lol

Re: trips to seaside
 

My cousin lives in a remote part of Pembrokeshire, and she has had free bus travel pass for years. (It wasn't much use to her because where she lives there are only 2 buses a day.)
So this new freebie for English pensioners is what pensioners in Wales already have.
Similarly - Scottish pensioners get free home help etc. - we can hope that eventually we get that too.

Re: trips to seaside
 

pity ya cant use it on trains:rolleyes:

Re: trips to seaside
 

A little taste of good news for Hyndburn Nowcard holders-

From Monday 21st April for one month only and for Hyndburn Nowcard holders only the coast buses X100. X87 and X82 will be free.

Hyndburn Council has agreed to pay a subsidy for this limited period for the benefit of Hyndburn residents.
So trips to Morecambe, Southport, Blackpool, Cleveleys and Fleetwood will be free for one month

It just happens to be local election time doesn't it :rolleyes:

The negoiations with LCC for a permenant inclusion of these services in the Nowcard concession is still under continuing negotaition - so all hope is not lost yet.

Re: trips to seaside
 

i just applied fer me nowcard n they tell me 2/3 weeks before i get it,bloody typical.:D

Re: trips to seaside
 

Thanks for info Margaret, that's very good news. we can tell its coming up to the local elections. lets see ware we go from there.
:dancedog:

Re: trips to seaside
 

my dad used to live in leeds and they got alsorts of freebies that we dont!

Re: trips to seaside
 

chashman, they told me that and i got mine in a week, hope u get your's in time for free day's out. but you never no they are still fighting for the free bus trips.
:dancedog:

Re: trips to seaside
 

not knowing my luck.:D

Re: trips to seaside
 

When word gets out there will be long queue at Accrington.
The buses often were full before they reached Blackburn when the charge was £1.
I expect that it will be featured in Accy Observer because PB was seen posing for pics, holding an oversized cheque, with the operator of Coastlinks Express

Re: trips to seaside
 

It is.

Britcliffe's there with fellow councillor Roberts.

Lovely photograph, along with the story that the fares are to remain at a pound for the month of May.

When are the next local elections?

Oh yes...May.:rolleyes:

Re: trips to seaside
 

So there is to be a £1 charge - I was told ---free
whichever it is the bus will be well full

Re: trips to seaside
 

The story in the paper says a pound, instead of the twelve it would've cost otherwise.

I agree. The buses were well used before, all this publicity, and the limited time scale to take advantage of it, will mean they're heaving, and many will be left disappointed at their stops.

Re: trips to seaside
 

Is this where ratepayers' dosh is now going in Hyndburn? I can think of far better things to spend money on than forking out good money for old biddies jolly days out in Blackpool. Have no doubt - these buses will be packed, all day, every day, while honest, farepaying passengers such as myself will be left waiting at the bus stop. Still, if this is merely a cynical electoral bribe by Britcliffe maybe he should have gone the whole way and turned each bus into a mobile sub-post office. That would keep the codgers happy and guarantee him a few hundred votes.

Re: trips to seaside
 

By my reckoning you are almost, if not already, in the coffin dodger class yourself Noel, alias Tealeaf :D

Re: trips to seaside
 

Personally I would rather that I received a pension that enabled me to do without these perceived 'handouts'....but until then, I am entitled to it and will use it.
Tealeaf, it is time you griped about something different........and I might be in receipt of a state pension, but I am NOT, repeat NOT an old biddie.

Re: trips to seaside
 

I agree totally that this should not come out of Hyndburns coffers. I have no problem with free bus passes but I think they should be funded from Central Government.

Re: trips to seaside
 

I am very surprised at Margaret using those petrochemical quaffing machines on a regular basis.

Re: trips to seaside
 

Central gov have funded it, but the county council is worried that the fund provided may not be enough to meet demand.

The one months funding from the local council is to keep the service running while the County Council make their mind up - county have commandeered all the fund provided from central gov.

PS - I need the sea air - away from E Lancs industrial pollution.

Re: trips to seaside
 

UPDATE-
The county are stalling in making any decision.

Peter Britcliffe appears to be backtracking on his promise to fund the service during May, so the company who took 100s of pensioners free to the coast in May did it for NOTHING
(gaining tory votes at the firm's expense :rolleyes:)

The service has continued since the end of May at half price, and at a loss

It now appears likely that the firm will discontinue the services - who can blame them!

Re: trips to seaside
 

Now that is good news for your little red car. It needs a good run out every now and then to get it nice and warm. Lots of short trips is the worse thing you can do to a car.

Re: trips to seaside
 

At least there's another election to look forward to.

Come next May Peter Britcliffe might drive you there in the 'free' bus himself.;)

Re: trips to seaside
 

I think he is saving the new CCTV cameras for the next election as well. This year they used the camera posts as a reason to vote Tory, next year it will be the cameras themselves.

Re: trips to seaside
 

...and the year after that they might find the money to put film in them.:D

Re: trips to seaside
 

It looks like the seaside special coaches will be no more.

East Lancs pensioners' seaside coaches axed (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Though I think we've been here before, and miraculously, just before the local elections in May, funding is suddenly found to continue the services from Hyndburn to the coast.

Re: trips to seaside
 

If I didn't know you better Rindi, I'd think you were a cynic:rolleyes:

Re: trips to seaside
 

Well suprise, suprise!

Just as before, and just prior to the local council elections, and now as regular as clockwork in the political calendar.

According to the Council Leader's column in the Observer, they're 'in negotiations with bus operators about saving the popular day trips to the seaside', and hints of an announcement in a week or so.

It's like waiting for the first cuckoo to sound, to herald the arrival of spring.

Money's been miraculously found, yet again, to save the oldies bus to the coast...just in time for the election.

Hurrah!

:rofl38::rofl38::rofl38::rofl38:

Re: trips to seaside
 

So you'd rather they didn't bother, Quack Quack:egged:

Re: trips to seaside
 

I only commented that yet again, money appears as if by magic, and the bus service is saved...just prior to the election.

I think that's nice.

:rofl38::rofl38::rofl38:

Re: trips to seaside
 

The new budget doesn't come until April they are hardy going to start negotiations prior to that are they, oh but I forget your super human all things to all men, but seeing this service has been negotiated for over the last few years its hardly the big deal your making it out to be, Quack Quack

Re: trips to seaside
 

Like I said, I think it's nice.

People now look forward to it happening.

:rofl38::rofl38::rofl38:

Re: trips to seaside
 

Organising trips to the seaside in the summer? Whatever next!

Re: trips to seaside
 

As I said, it's nice.

It was also nice of Cllr. Britcliffe to use his Observer column, to yet again inform us that the cancelled service will be saved this year too, just before the weather gets better....and the local elections are due to be held.

It's very nice.

We all look forward to this nice thing happening, year in, year out, as sign that winter's finally over.

:rofl38::rofl38::rofl38::rofl38:

Re: trips to seaside
 

Little things amuse little minds:p

Re: trips to seaside
 

That's a fine way to talk about vast swathes of the good folks of Hyndburn, who now look forward to this annual rite, which heralds the coming of summer.

Re: trips to seaside
 

I wasn't referring to great swathes of the good folks of Hyndburn, just one particular one:p

Re: trips to seaside
 

Trust me, it's the talk of the wash house.

;)

Re: trips to seaside
 

Didnt realise you were a washerwoman;)

Re: trips to seaside
 

That'll explain the putrid stink.

;)

:D

'Washerperson', by the way.

Dave Cameron's given us a non-gender specific, all embracing, new title.

;)

Re: trips to seaside
 

Okay okay okay Washerperson then:D

Re: trips to seaside
 

That's better.

It's nice to see at least there's a little unity, between local and national Tories.

;)

Re: trips to seaside
 

Well we do have to placate the local neutrals too:rolleyes::D

Re: trips to seaside
 

Hurrah!

Good new...yet again.

Hyndburn seaside bus trips for £1 (From Blackburn Citizen)

:rolleyes::D

Re: trips to seaside
 

These 'free' bus services are costing us £100k and you still have to pay on the bus. Enjoy.

Cynic that I am, why spend all that tax money on sending people from Hyndburn to spend their money elsewhere? Why not improve Hyndburn first?

Re: trips to seaside
 

It's nice to be 'given' a little present, especially just before an election.

The parable of the bung.

'Verily, as they gratefuly receive, so shall they give'

:rolleyes:

Re: trips to seaside
 

Sorry, I'm being a little ungrateful here. We should all be thankful that the council has found all this money to support a Hyndburn business, especially one based in Oswaldtwistle.

Re: trips to seaside
 

I see the company was founded in 1986, and therefore their happy success can be traced from when the government of the day, deregulated the publicly owned, and run, bus services.

Red Rose Coaches

Re: trips to seaside
 

To be fair to the company themselves, they run a first class service.

My wife and I went on a trip to Ostend with them and the coach ride was far superior to the destination. I know that may not be saying an awful lot but in all seriousness we were very well looked after.

Re: trips to seaside
 

I hope anyone whos expecting to go to Blackpool on wednesdays and thursdays wont be upset when they end up in either skipton or morecambe or southport!!!:D:D:D

According to this weeks accy observer page 21 ..........

Fancy a grand day out for just £1? Bargain getaways to Blackpool, Morecambe and Skipton are up for grabs this summer thanks to a new council funded scheme. Nowcard holders and disabled residents can get on board for the knock down price under the initiative.

Council leader peter britcliffe said: "I'm delighted that we've been able to make sure that our Nowcard holders and disabled residents can get out and about to Blackpool and the fylde this spring and summer for just £1. We've always done as much as is possible to help these groups and we've been glad to put the funding into this scheme". He added that the trips will allow people to get out and about in the summer and enjoy the fresh sea air and a walk along the promenade.

The service starts on Monday May 3 and then on every tuesday, wednesday and thursday until monday august 3. On Tuesdays it will go to Blackpool or Fleetwood, on Wednesdays it will go to skipton and on Thursdays it will go to morecambe or southport. On the the three summer bank holidays the service will go to Blackpool.

The service starts at 09.30 at knuzden and then calls at oswaldtwistle, accrington, clayton-le-moors, great harwood and rishton before going onto its destination. Hyndburn Nowcard holders will pay a flat £1 fare and other passengers will pay the full fare of £8. For more information call red rose travel on 01254 399019.

It also has a picture of peter britcliffe, cllr doug hayes and roy atkinson promoting the new coach service.

Re: trips to seaside
 

Has anyone gone to Skipton on Wednesday yet?

I ask because I would like to know whether the ostrich meat stall is there.
When I made a trip to Rossendale Farmers market on easter sunday I was disappointed when that stall wasn't there.

I have quite set my heart on eating some ostrich

Re: trips to seaside
 

You'll have to be careful eating that Margaret, you could end up sticking your head in the sand :rolleyes::D

Re: trips to seaside
 

It looks as though austerity measures are affecting these trips too.

Subsidised bus trips for over-60s scrapped by Hyndburn Council (From Lancashire Telegraph)

In some ways, if anything had to be cut, this was a prime target.
Much as I enjoyed my trips to the coast (at a time when I was well enough to go), there is more of a priority in keeping 'roofs over heads' and 'home services' for the sick and disabled.

So we can say - those were the 'good old days' - now gone.

Re: trips to seaside
 

Yeh have to say, even though have used it, matter of priorities.

Re: trips to seaside
 

No Peter, civil war, famine, earthquakes, etc have a devasting effect on peoples lives, not a bus trip to Blackpool

trips to seaside
 

Indeed, the guy is suffering, perhaps it's time he got in touch with the real world?
Or perhaps he needs a trip to the seaside to clear away the cobwebs?
Perhaps we should get together and collect for a single ticket?

Re: trips to seaside
 

Less I would pay for the whole of the ticket myself.......as long as it was a single.....and it could be a bit further away than Blackpool...heck he could walk it back in two days.

Re: trips to seaside
 

Makes stupid comments like that n then seems puzzled people don't want him back.:rolleyes:

Re: trips to seaside
 

The subsidy was based on passenger numbers, and the coaches were full most of the time. Even when they weren't - they were ;) - nobody checked.

Re: trips to seaside
 

I can just jump into the tank whenever I feel like it and cruise to the coast/countryside at a reasonable cost.

When I get older, no doubt I'll lose the skills needed to drive safely, and if I want to swan off somewhere after a lifetime of paying taxes I'll have to fork out a fortune to sit in discomfort and I'll have to do this to a timetable. Would be nice if I didn't have to pay the Earth for it too.

Yeah, cuts need to be made...and cheap fares for 'useless eaters' are an easy target. (Would be nice to see costings for this alongside costings for the countless pointless task/steering group meetings, just to see where savings could really be made)

I don't think Britcliffe should be pilloried here..it will be 'devastating' to those pensioners who don't have money to burn on luxuries like a charabanc to the coast and a walk on the prom. Things most of us take for granted.

What does surprise me is Britcliffe behaving like a socialist :eek::D

Re: trips to seaside
 

Well, if you are open for suggestions ...


Tuktoyaktuk | Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk

You might need some help with the fare, though:D

Re: trips to seaside
 

That is when I would hope to rely on the good folk of accyweb :D

Re: trips to seaside
 

No Guinness...PB is just being...well, PB.
If the other side said it was day - he would say it was night. Just to be perverse.

If he were still in power as the leader.....he would probably be doing the same things....and justifying it in exactly the same way.
He seems to think that this is the best way to run local politics.......by opposing the group in power like the parliamentary opposittion do.
Wouldn't it be good if all sides of local politics could work for the benefit of the community at large....and stop the childish bickering and falling out? So much more could be achieved if they didn't dissipate time and energy in this way......but I won't hold my breath waiting for it to happen.

Re: trips to seaside
 

Ya and Myles acting like a rich Tory Baron:D

Re: trips to seaside
 

You're probably right and I am sure those that have just done it now would be saying it was wrong.

All sides do this but there is a lot of working together goes on as well. Maybe it makes better news when they are arguing so we hear about it more.

Re: trips to seaside
 

Of course you are right Neil....but we don't really hear much about the 'working together' do we?
I would feel much more heartened if we did get to hear about it...councillors who, regardless of their political allegiances, were working together for the good of all the borough, with the interests of all the people of Hyndburn in the forefront of their thoughts and actions.

I would like to hear where this is happening, and who the councillors are, who are involved in collaborative working.

Re: trips to seaside
 

Not hearing about such working, leaves you thinking that it really doesn't happen.

Re: trips to seaside
 

Unless i hear about it, i will never be convinced, so sorry neil it don't wash wi me.

Re: trips to seaside
 

Cashy, you said what I really meant, but was too polite to post.