“At least she seems to understand the equation: that to encourage bus use, buses have to be faster than cars.”
That’ll never happen unless there are more places cars can’t go (like Princes Street).
“The question is whether she has the willingness and ability to do something about it.”
Indeed.
There are other factors that would make a difference to (encouraging more) people to use buses Oyster-style payment and consequently bus transfer without buying a new ticket. LB always says ‘most people use DayTickets or weekly/monthly passes. Perhaps but still no reason for not having a fast/easy payment method.
“The obvious first step would be a congestion charge, but that would violate the council's belief that all drivers should be allowed to drive on any road, in any direction, at any time, free of charge.”
Not really the Council’s belief (as such). Most politicians fear upsetting motorists. Stuck with the outdated notions which seem to be ‘only motorists vote’ and ‘voters care about driving more than anything else’.
But really it’s an issue that SG should just get on with - with the conviction that’s behind minimum alcohol pricing and (previously) smoking bans.
posts
