[sustran] Fair Transport - comments

[Eric Britton]

-----Original Message-----
From: Ann Hackett [mailto:aha at pacific.net] 
Sent: Friday, April 30, 1999 11:22 PM
To: eric.britton at ecoplan.org
Cc: Main Identity
Subject: Fair Transport and other thoughts
 
Dear Eric,
I'm glad to see the concept of Fair Transport because it's a crucial
factor.  My primary objection to Congestion Charging is that it has an
inherent economic bias that favors those who can afford to pay the
charges.  There're also the installation charges and the addictive
revenue that makes officials reluctant to look for a better way.
 
Other thoughts:
 
1.  When looking at the stakeholders for full and equitable treatment
(existence) include the earth and future generations. 
 
2.  I think that parking is the key.  Eliminating on-street parking and
providing commercial replacement vehicles i.e., xTransit, allows space
for safe and secure bicycle lanes.  Dedicated one-way streets help make
this possible.  The other side of the street could be arranged by
alternating color-coded blocks for passengers, delivery and service
vehicles.
 
3.  Bicycle racks can fill the role of the protective barrier for
pedestrians.
 
4.  Businesses' interests are tied to customer traffic, not parking.  If
sufficient levels of customer activity were to be maintained with public
transportation and xTransit, then parking could become an obsolete issue
and business would not flee to the suburbs.
 
5.  Parking elimination does not generate revenue like Congestion
Charging but it does generate positive by-products that are cost
reducing such as environmental and health benefits and reduced lost
productivity due to congestion.   
 
6.  xTransit vehicles do not generally deliver passengers door to door.
Rather they take them close enough to their destinations so that they
can walk the remainder.  This facilitates the flow of the vehicles.
Exceptions can always be made.
 
7.  The above conversion fits the near term criteria and is inexpensive
to implement, i.e. paint, signs, and new businesses .  People in major
metropolitan centers could maintain the same level of mobility for the
same amount of money that they currently pay to own and operate a car.  
 
8.  I suggest that Al Gore would be a good nominee for the prize.  He
has become the spokesperson for global warming and the emergency we are
all experiencing. 
 
9.  The high and unstable oil prices are opening a window for change.

 
10. They say there are no short term solutions but that is looking at
the problem with the old way of thinking of what is and not of what
could be.     
 
Thank you,
 
Ann Hackett 
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