A public consultation on the possibility of changing SmartPass eligibility rules will close shortly.
By Eimear FlanaganShould everyone in Northern Ireland be entitled to free bus and train travel when they reach their 60th birthday?
"I don't drive, so I'd be on the bus two or three times a week," says Jennifer Kane, a 64-year-old grandmother from Larne, County Antrim.Ms Kane told BBC News NI she depends on buses to take her to the shops, to meet friends and to frequent hospital appointments. Like many grandparents, Ms Kane helps her family with childcare and one of her weekly treats is taking her grandson into town "for a juice or a bun".
"I'm a project manager with Engage with Age, working with older people to address isolation and loneliness," he explains. For others, he argues it would exacerbate social exclusion, citing the costs of return tickets for passengers on low incomes. The 46-year-old lives alone in Portadown, County Armagh, and relies on carers to take her to frequent hospital appointments in Belfast."I genuinely can't afford it. And then paying for the carer as well."
Belgique Dernières Nouvelles, Belgique Actualités
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