What transport strategy?

So the government wants us all to ditch our cars and get on public transport? And why should I, you ask? Well, it's a nice little earner for the government for a start. The Office for National Statistics has revealed another spectacular failure for John Prescott (has he had any successes?) and the transport policy of the Labour Government. Bus fares have risen by 52.9 per cent over the past decade. While train fares rose by 46.2 per cent between January 1998 and the start of this year. However, according to the AA, the driver of a small family car has seen their motoring bill rise from 41.52 pence a mile in 1997 to 56.15 pence in 2005 - or 26 per cent. All, I'm sure you will agree, are ridiculous increases in their own right, but it turns out that drivers have got off lightly compared to those who followed government advice.

And now for the Government spokesman "-Disposable income rose by 23 per cent between 1997 and 2005 - while bus fares rose by considerably less. Record investment is being made in railways and buses.-" They are so well versed in ignoring the issue and coming out with nonsense. I'm not sure why I even quote them in these posts, other than for my own enjoyment at how ridiculous they sound. Mr. Spokesman, the issue here is you wanting us to get out of our cars and on to public transport, it's not about you wanting more of our disposable income.  And what about the point of the report, that cars have been the more shrewd option over the last decade, despite your government's guidance to ditch them?

So what are the incentives to getting out of our cars? Well, in a few years we will be charged through the nose to drive too with the "pay as you drive" polling scheme. This will mean that we can either pay a fortune to drive or a fortune to use public transport. To me, this is not a satisfactory solution. If the government wants us to use public transport it has to be available to us all both geographically and economically and it has to be reliable and convenient. I fear, however, the government does not care as long as it knows we have no choice it can charge us through the nose for a second rate system.