Another interesting debate!

I guess it depends on what you believe a bus service to be. A public service? Or a service for the public? I'm in the 'Service for the public' camp, and have been since privatisation. 'Tis a commercial world we live, rightly or wrongly.

Re the points about concessionary travel - yes, it is a mess. If the Government of the day wants it, then the Government of the day should pay for it. It's not a subsidy to the bus operator, it's a reimbursement of a fare. If anything, it's a subsidy to the consessionaire.

I do have a lot of sympathy on the price of child fares though, especially cross border ones.