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| Ticket to ride | Ticket to ride |
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| By Amy Blackburn BBC News | By Amy Blackburn BBC News |
| Pensioners have been given free bus travel throughout England, so one man thought he'd see where local buses could take him. How far did he get? | Pensioners have been given free bus travel throughout England, so one man thought he'd see where local buses could take him. How far did he get? |
| After a thousand miles on 80 local buses in 11 days, Richard Worrall has put England's bus services well and truly to the test. | After a thousand miles on 80 local buses in 11 days, Richard Worrall has put England's bus services well and truly to the test. |
| And as he travelled from his home town of Walsall to Chester, then to the Lakes and Tyneside, down to Dover and Land's End on the South coast, he didn't miss a single bus. | And as he travelled from his home town of Walsall to Chester, then to the Lakes and Tyneside, down to Dover and Land's End on the South coast, he didn't miss a single bus. |
| "The amazing thing was, the bus system worked so well," says Mr Worrall, 63. "There were some lovely bus stations - of course, there were some awful ones as well! | "The amazing thing was, the bus system worked so well," says Mr Worrall, 63. "There were some lovely bus stations - of course, there were some awful ones as well! |
| "It's much better than people make out. You're standing in the dark waiting for a bus, thinking 'is it going to turn up?' and then it does. | "It's much better than people make out. You're standing in the dark waiting for a bus, thinking 'is it going to turn up?' and then it does. |
| Richard Worrall (left) travelled round the UK, using 80 different local buses"There were delays, but then I anticipated that. The problems I had were mainly in the morning, when I was travelling before 9.30." | Richard Worrall (left) travelled round the UK, using 80 different local buses"There were delays, but then I anticipated that. The problems I had were mainly in the morning, when I was travelling before 9.30." |
| Ahead of Tuesday's move to provide free bus travel throughout the country to all those who are over 60 or are disabled, the former Walsall mayor decided the best way to highlight the potential benefits of bus travel was to get on a bus. Again. And again. And again. | Ahead of Tuesday's move to provide free bus travel throughout the country to all those who are over 60 or are disabled, the former Walsall mayor decided the best way to highlight the potential benefits of bus travel was to get on a bus. Again. And again. And again. |
| Doing it again under the new rules would save him about £180. And as well as impressed by the bus services, he was also reminded what a picturesque country he lives in. | Doing it again under the new rules would save him about £180. And as well as impressed by the bus services, he was also reminded what a picturesque country he lives in. |
| "We shouldn't undersell how beautiful England is, and think we have to go somewhere else", he says. "Seeing it all at once is like putting together a jigsaw." | "We shouldn't undersell how beautiful England is, and think we have to go somewhere else", he says. "Seeing it all at once is like putting together a jigsaw." |
| ACROSS ENGLAND ON A BUS This is how to get from Penzance to Berwick-on-Tweed in six daysUnlike Mr Worrall's journey, all these buses are after 0930 to qualify for free travel Day by day timetable | ACROSS ENGLAND ON A BUS This is how to get from Penzance to Berwick-on-Tweed in six daysUnlike Mr Worrall's journey, all these buses are after 0930 to qualify for free travel Day by day timetable |
| Mr Worrall is also quick to detail the benefits for those over 60 of using this form of travel for long-distance journeys. | Mr Worrall is also quick to detail the benefits for those over 60 of using this form of travel for long-distance journeys. |
| "It's free and the benefits are universal. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, it holds massive benefits for improving your quality of life. | "It's free and the benefits are universal. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, it holds massive benefits for improving your quality of life. |
| "Because older people are so over-reliant on their cars, they do tend to worry about getting the point when they can no longer drive", says Mr Worrall, who has only driven a car a handful of times in the past 20 years. | "Because older people are so over-reliant on their cars, they do tend to worry about getting the point when they can no longer drive", says Mr Worrall, who has only driven a car a handful of times in the past 20 years. |
| "This shows that it's not the end of your life when you can't drive a car." | "This shows that it's not the end of your life when you can't drive a car." |
| Travelling on local buses also provides a unique insight into England's rural areas, Mr Worrall says. | Travelling on local buses also provides a unique insight into England's rural areas, Mr Worrall says. |
| "The nature of local bus services is that they wander off the main roads to villages, many of which are just gorgeous. A lot of the buses were double-deckers, and sitting at the top I had a great grandstand view. | "The nature of local bus services is that they wander off the main roads to villages, many of which are just gorgeous. A lot of the buses were double-deckers, and sitting at the top I had a great grandstand view. |
| "The only problem was the British weather - when I was travelling from Tyneside to Dover, there was fog the whole way down. I missed out on some fabulous views." | "The only problem was the British weather - when I was travelling from Tyneside to Dover, there was fog the whole way down. I missed out on some fabulous views." |
| Ear-muffs | Ear-muffs |
| His key tips for other adventurers include be prepared and take timetables with you, use the internet if possible and one other vital piece of advice. | His key tips for other adventurers include be prepared and take timetables with you, use the internet if possible and one other vital piece of advice. |
| This scheme will open up tremendous opportunities for travel around our country Councillor Mark Dowd, Chair of Merseytravel "I've learnt that people who play loud music can crop up anywhere, so if I did it again I would take my earmuffs!" | This scheme will open up tremendous opportunities for travel around our country Councillor Mark Dowd, Chair of Merseytravel "I've learnt that people who play loud music can crop up anywhere, so if I did it again I would take my earmuffs!" |
| Pensioners in Scotland and Wales already enjoy free national bus travel and the National Pensioners' Convention (NPC) would like the scheme expanded throughout the UK. | Pensioners in Scotland and Wales already enjoy free national bus travel and the National Pensioners' Convention (NPC) would like the scheme expanded throughout the UK. |
| The NPC says over-60s should not be seen as "a drain on local government resources" and it is unhappy the benefit does not extend to attending medical appointments before 9.30am or travel for carers of elderly or disabled people. | The NPC says over-60s should not be seen as "a drain on local government resources" and it is unhappy the benefit does not extend to attending medical appointments before 9.30am or travel for carers of elderly or disabled people. |
| But these concerns will not stop the more enthusiastic over-60s from taking advantage straight away. Bus operators are preparing for the influx of older travellers, especially undertaking long-distance journeys. | But these concerns will not stop the more enthusiastic over-60s from taking advantage straight away. Bus operators are preparing for the influx of older travellers, especially undertaking long-distance journeys. |
| "This is a great scheme which will benefit thousands of people, opening up tremendous opportunities for travel around our country", said Councillor Mark Dowd, Chair of Merseytravel. | "This is a great scheme which will benefit thousands of people, opening up tremendous opportunities for travel around our country", said Councillor Mark Dowd, Chair of Merseytravel. |
| On Tuesday, to mark the first day, Mr Worrall is taking 25 friends on a bus trip from Bridgend to Ironbridge, tracing the route of the Severn Valley railway. | On Tuesday, to mark the first day, Mr Worrall is taking 25 friends on a bus trip from Bridgend to Ironbridge, tracing the route of the Severn Valley railway. |
| "We're having a free day out, and we'll all be flashing our passes! In the summer, I'm planning to get a group together to go and see the Eden Project, travelling down on local buses. | "We're having a free day out, and we'll all be flashing our passes! In the summer, I'm planning to get a group together to go and see the Eden Project, travelling down on local buses. |
| "It'll be a wander to the South West and then a wander back, taking different routes through some lovely country. If you find a couple of nice country pubs to stop at, what could be better than that?" | "It'll be a wander to the South West and then a wander back, taking different routes through some lovely country. If you find a couple of nice country pubs to stop at, what could be better than that?" |