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

[Todd Edelman, Green Idea Factory]

Hi,

This is the Wikipedia article on free public transport in Hasselt, in 
case not everyone is familiar...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_transport_in_Hasselt

I have also been told that in Munich - not sure which operator - the 
revenue from tickets more or less pays for - dealing with collecting 
this money. So it makes jobs for accountants, etc, but thats all.

- T

Lee Schipper wrote:
> 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.
>
>
>
>
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-- 
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Todd Edelman
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