Declan Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 (Good to see Newsbot on the ball) If I was cynical I might think whether the pensioners paying proposal being hurriedly and clandestinely introduced whilst Tynwald was in recess with little notice, then immediately withdrawn when people kick off, was so that other unpalatable options can be introduced and spun as a way of protecting the pensioners' concession. In fact I am cynical and I do think that. What are these difficult economic times the DTL gang are going on about. Alan Bell keeps telling us there's no recession on the Isle of Man. This seems to be more about the department overspending on the TT and trying to claw it back from elsewhere. BUT if the TT is this marvelous boon to the Island's economy, why is IOM Govt losing money on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manshimajin Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 What are these difficult economic times the DTL gang are going on about. Alan Bell keeps telling us there's no recession on the Isle of Man. This seems to be more about the department overspending on the TT and trying to claw it back from elsewhere. BUT if the TT is this marvelous boon to the Island's economy, why is IOM Govt losing money on it? You obviously haven't heard that all MHKs and MLCs are handing back a year's salary, travelling by bus in future at their own expense as their travelling allowances cannot be funded and are paying for their own contributions into a defined contribution pension scheme whilst handing back all the funds from the defined benefit scheme to Treasury to be returned to taxpayers. Times are seriously tough... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 He, he! I work opposite the wedding cake and often see those pink critters roosting, mainly on a Tuesday, it would seem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinnieK Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 What are these difficult economic times the DTL gang are going on about. Alan Bell keeps telling us there's no recession on the Isle of Man. This seems to be more about the department overspending on the TT and trying to claw it back from elsewhere. I was wondering whether the 'difficult economic times' line wasn't a bit of a cover for a simple attempt to drive pensioners from the buses during peak times, as has been suggested previously in the thread, in the hope that the service will attract more paying customers and shift the old folks to the less used services. It does seem a bit penny pinching, especially considering the previous extravagance of the DTL in seeking the services of PR firms like Weber-Shandwick to come up with gems like "The Isle of Sam". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I've been told that the "difficult economic times" were caused by the drop in VAT rate by the UK Government, this meant the DTL's (and other departments) budget was frozen. This has had a bigger impact on the DTL because it was massively overbudget last year on its arrangements for the TT. Since motorsport is invioble to dtl policy the cuts have to be made in "peripheral" services - like buses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulgarian Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Perhaps the govt is having a hard time financially, maybe cutbacks are needed. So where can the bus company save money? Cut loose a few extraneous overpaid civil servants? Or freeze the pay of manx bus drivers who are amongst the best paid in britain? Sell off some of their many unused properties around the island? Reconsider the value of their expensive rebranding scheme? No. Target the poorest section of society who most use the buses to get about, who have paid tax all their lives, and make them pay for bus travel for 2 hours in the afternoon. You miserable penny-pinching cunts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tugger Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Must have been a tricky decision for them - the two biggest voting blocs on the island are the Civil Service (who will always, tukey-like, vote for the politician who promises to defer Christmas for the longest) and pensioners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulgarian Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Must have been a tricky decision for them - the two biggest voting blocs on the island are the Civil Service (who will always, tukey-like, vote for the politician who promises to defer Christmas for the longest) and pensioners. Which is what makes me think it was a civil servant's idea rather than a politician's. Whoever it was must have thought that it would be easier than cutting jobs or pay (bus drivers are notoriously enthusiastic strikers), but they didn't count on the belligerence of manx pensioners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Wasn't it John Rimmington who said that pensioners were a drain on the state ? I hear he is in New Zealand now. Then there was Phil Kermode who pissed off a group of pensioners for some reason. Where's he these days ? We're a feisty lot, us Manx pensioners Come to think of it there are a couple of us coffin dodgers in Tynwald: Well there's Eddie Lowey for a start, then there's Noel Cringle, not sure who else but Alan Bell is 62 . However, I doubt if any of them are worried about their bus passes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Come to think of it there are a couple of us coffin dodgers in Tynwald I'd be more concerned about the Artful Dodgers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
localyokel Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 A plan to charge pensioners in the Isle of Man for peak time bus journeys is put on hold by the government. Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/...man/8181756.stm Makes me wonder what the "other options" are as I understand the reason for the problem is that they bought the wrong new buses and they can't get anywhere near the same number of kids on them at peak after school times as they have individual rather than bench seats so they had to try to kick the grannies off them instead. It would seem unresolvable other than spending several more millions on buses more suited to the job. But then government and spending is always a win win situation. That sounds in line with what I heard. Its not even about cost cutting or penny pinching its about spending millions on new buses that are not suited to what they actually need them to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manshimajin Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 That sounds in line with what I heard. Its not even about cost cutting or penny pinching its about spending millions on new buses that are not suited to what they actually need them to do. Groan....the PS strike again! Who makes these decisions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Call to end all OAPs' free buses http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/wales_politics/8184100.stm Free bus travel for all pensioners in Wales should be scrapped because of the cost, an advisory group has urged. The independent ministerial advisory group on transport wants the assembly government to begin an urgent review, arguing it is becoming unaffordable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 the Welsh scheme has no restriction unlike the Manx which only applies after 9am . Good to see the Welsh Tories are courting popularity by agreeing that the passes should be abolished ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moghrey Mie Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Wasn't it John Rimmington who said that pensioners were a drain on the state ? I hear he is in New Zealand now. Then there was Phil Kermode who pissed off a group of pensioners for some reason. Where's he these days ? We're a feisty lot, us Manx pensioners Come to think of it there are a couple of us coffin dodgers in Tynwald: Well there's Eddie Lowey for a start, then there's Noel Cringle, not sure who else but Alan Bell is 62 . However, I doubt if any of them are worried about their bus passes. David Cannan 1936 Noel Cringle 1937 Eddie Lowey 1938 Alan Crowe 1940 Clare Christian 1945 Alex Downie 1945 It must be nice to have your delayed old age pension accumulating nicely while you take a salary and expenses. John Rimington emigrated to New Zealand because people here couldn't learn how to spell his name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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