Free swimming at public pools

[Gromit]

Public swimming pools and lidos will be free for everyone by 2012 as part of a drive to get more people involved in sport.

Extending free swimming to all over-60s would give around 10 million people access to council facilities
The over-60s and children up to the age of 16 will be the first to enjoy free entry to council-run swimming pools, under Government plans to be announced.

Local authorities are to be invited to apply to a �130 million fund over the next two years, to allow them to offer free swimming to older people in their area.

Additional funds will be made available through a "challenge fund" to extend the offer to under-16s as well.

And by 2012, Andy Burnham, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, will say, ministers hope that free swimming in council swimming pools will be offered to all, regardless of age.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2080781 /Public-swimming-pools-to-be-free-of-charge.ht ml

Top Bombin?

[sleepy1]

dont think it should be free as the money will come from some where else to run them ..but at least cheaper swimming can be expesive for a family ..

[Twenty20]

Well, the swimming pools are open anyway so it wont cost anymore to run them. In fact they might make some money in extras - sales in swimming gear, coffee shop etc or the people might book other activities too

[nedflanders]

My kids already get in free during summer holidays with thier "shout" card which cost us �1. It certainly encourages us to go as a family. It can only be a benifit as it will help by getting kids off their lazy ar$es and doing some exercise instead of playing their DS's and PS3's.

[mrs_overall]

There are lots of ways to improve your fitness that cost nothing. Going for a walk/jog/run is the first one that springs to mind.
If the government has �130 million to spare, I'd rather see it spent on something more worthwhile.

[4GS]

Another excuse to hike up your council tax bill

Bah humbug,

[RevFunk]

I used to swim when I was injured from running and there used to be people really bombing up and down at a fast rate, then they got out of the pool they were massive lol

[annie0000]

They shut our pool as a piece of the ceiling fell into the pool while it was open and it will cost too much to repair. Getting a new pool next year - so in the meantime we will all get fat and unfit, on a brighter note, over 10s get to swim free on friday nights in the pool that we dont have!

[Lindylou]

We already have 'free' swimming for the over 60s here in Cardiff.

[ruby27]

As someone who currently spends �35.00 a month on swimming, free entrance would appear to be of benefit to me.

However I can see why others are concerned about the money needing to be raised to fund this. On the radio programme I heard it was to encourage people to take exercise so that there will be a saving in the health costs.

What the difficulty is always with a preventative health scheme is that there isn't a easy way of measuring what exactly the take up and benefits to health will be. But, surely an incentive to increase public health and reduce health costs must be a good thing and might be economic sense

[gelda]

As a pensioner and I expect most pensioners would aggree we would rather if they've got that much money to spare have our pensions topped up rather than a free swim!