I don't see that this would necessarily be the case. Even now many forms of public transport can be full/beyond capacity especially at peak times (e.g. try getting on the Luas between 8-10AM and 5-7PM or finding anything other than standing room on the Cork/Mallow/Limerick-Dublin train!) so making it free doesn't necessarily mean that people will be able to use it unless there is increased capacity laid on. In addition anecdotal evidence suggests to me that there is a large body of people out there who are wedded to their car (usually as sole occupants on most or all journeys) who would never countenance using public transport at all - especially if it was even more packed than normal. And then there are people who cannot use public transport for all or most of their normal journeys.It would probably eliminate gridlock in Dublin immediately
Hi All,
Shane Ross on the back of last Sundays Independants Business Section spoke briefly about the idea of making all public transport, particularly in Dublin, free. No charge to use either Dublin Bus, the Luas, DART, trains from Maynooth, Dundalk etc. If they doubled the fleet of buses tomorrow it might be a brilliant idea.
Disadvantages - kids travelling five hundred yards on a bus because that aren't bothered walking - tax system paying for all of the services as opposed only paying for half of it now (Dublin Bus definitely get a subsidy €600M plus, I think the LUAS is operating without one, I don't know about the DART or other trains).
Advantages - It would probably eliminate gridlock in Dublin immediately - No costs would be borne associated with integrated ticketing - no cost of counting cash/lodging fees/administration etc.
Any thoughts? Any other advantages/disadvantages?
Past30
Only this:Does anyone know if you can claim tax-breaks for using public transport? That would be another way for the government to encourage the use of the service.
Only this:
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Pity one alternative isn't to allow bus lanes to be used as car pool lanes?Motorists have shown that they'll use alernatives, the problem is the alternatives.
Pity one alternative isn't to allow bus lanes to be used as car pool lanes?
Probably that and many individuals' inability to behave responsibly in such situations. Imagine if they tried to use US style four way stops at junctions in Ireland for example... And just look at all the AAM threads along the lines of "I committed some road offence and got caught/punished but here are my reasons why they should not have picked on me and stuck with catching the real wrongdoers blah blah blah...".I think the Irish problem with that is enforcement.
I don't think that this is unique to Ireland. I was in California recently and as a non driver was able to take the BART and then the Caltrain to within striking distance of work/hotel but still needed a lift/taxi to my final destination. And the SF bay area would probably be one of the better examples of public transportation service in the US.The problem in Ireland, in my humble opinion, is not the cost of public transport but the absence of a public transport system.
And just look at all the AAM threads along the lines of "I committed some road offence and got caught/punished but here are my reasons why they should not have picked on me and stuck with catching the real wrongdoers blah blah blah...".
>
A friend of mine, son of a Garda was doing 80mph in a 60mph zone. When he gave his name and address the garda asked him "How's the oul fella" and left him go.
When laws are enforced like in these two cases you're going to have people letting off steam about it.
-Rd
The question is ............
ok forget it, dumb idea.
-Rd
Err, I take it whilst people may have seen the links in the thread above, may even have seen the ads, that absolutely no one uses the tax saver bus/rail tickets?
Add to that the fact that it makes more financial sense for someone on high income than low income, and you've got a kind of flawed system.
Pity one alternative isn't to allow bus lanes to be used as car pool lanes?
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