[sustran] Re: MMRDA will file PIL to block Tata's Rs1 lakh car

[Lee Schipper]

Not clear free trnasport really gets those who otherwise would use cars
to use free trnasport. Seattle was unable to really do this (in the down
town  area) but did a great job of providing visitors like me with free
trips around town. I think the last line below says it all — make sure
the cost of using cars reflects all of societies costs and make sure
organization and technical aspects of the  collectiv system really
provides a faster, safer, less costly alternative!.

>>> Sunny <sunny.enie at gmail.com> 7/12/2007 4:29:47 AM >>>
Yes, Chuwa has a point. Providing free public transport will be a good
option and it could be financed thru parking charges and car taxes. Just
to add to the examples mentioned Perth, Australia has this service
called CAT and they are like 3 different circular routes and the service
is free and I was told that it is funded by the parking charges.

Bangkok on the other hand provides free shuttle service to some of its
skytrain (BTS) stations. IMO, Bangkok could also provide free NMT
(rickshaws) into the small streets (sois) if this could be done the use
of motorbike taxi could be reduced to a great extent.

Singapore is definitely an example and it is also worth noting that
people seldom complain of the economic instruments as they have
affordable public transport and other alternatives to a car.

So, in the end it again comes to putting more financial burden on car
USERS and also to some extent on car owners. Making the car travel hard
and at the same time providing affordable, safe and convenient
(sustainable)  public transport would be the solution. 

kind regards
Santhosh K. (Sunny) Kodukula
Project Assistant
GTZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP) 
Room 0942, Transport Division, UN-ESCAP ESCAP UN Building 
Rajadamnern Nok Rd. Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel:  +66 (0) 2 - 288  1321
Fax: +66 (0) 2 - 280  6042
Mobile: +66 (0) 84–113-0181
e-mail: santhosh.kodukula at sutp.org 
Website: www.sutp.org 
Skype: sunny_nwho



chuwa wrote: Thanks to everyone, this thread has been highly
stimulating and educating for me. 

I hope not to distract the discussion but just chance upon this article
(http://thetyee.ca/Views/2007/07/05/NoFares1/) which make a interesting
connection back to the current discussion of banning cheap cars. What
can be more compelling than "cheap car"? What if instead of banning
"cheap car", there is someone offering free & good public buses in
Mumbai? 
To go all the ay, perhaps it can be a profitable business model to
offer this service for free in exchange of an opportunity to be in touch
with the mass. Like JCDecaux sponsor street furniture, or Google offer
excellent free search engine for the world, both to capture a critical
"touch point' with the mass. 
In Singapore, there are several "free" bus routes linking large
shopping malls and MRT stations. Mentioned in the article, high quality
free bus service in Hasselt, Belgium has been expended 500% since it
started in 1996 and now has a ridership close to 4 Millions.