I have an idea to improve people’s lives, save people money, help the environment and generally make the world a better place to live.
No really. And I propose to do this by effectively removing one of the biggest inventions in human history, the car.
There are a few undeniable facts, fuel costs will rise, fuel supplies will go down, cars are bad for the environment and everyone needs to travel.
Think about how much you spend on transport a month, or year.
I estimate I spend at least £2400 per year on car related costs, that’s without any car payments, as I drive an old banger. Which claims that running a family car for 10,000 miles costs in excess of £5,685.
The government has recently given free bus travel to all people over 60, country wide. What a brilliant idea, but why not tweak it a little and offer it to the entire nation.
For a flat yearly fee of approximately £1,500 per adult you would get a travel card, which would entitle you to free travel on any public bus, train, tram, tube or bicycle in the country, unlimited use, no restrictions, and a guarantee of service for all areas,
The scheme would be free for under 18′s, over 60′s and the disabled. Full time students and the unemployed/low earners would be subsidised.
In the UK there is an non exempt from fees population of 38,795,400 (statistics.gov.uk), meaning a free of £1,500 would produce a revenue of £58,193,100,000, adjust down by 5% for subsidies and you are left with an annual revenue of £55,283,445,000.
Considering the existing infrastructure expanding the service to adequately service all areas should be more than manageable, and provide many jobs.
To ensure all areas get an adequate service, the percentage of your fee that is set aside for your local area would be inversely proportional to the local population density.
All people who currently rely on the population driving cars would be offered jobs as a priority for the first 5 years of the scheme.
Within 5 years we would have a public transport system that the world would be jealous of, and the lowest pollution levels of any industrialised country.
I’m not proposing banning cars, the scheme would be non compulsory, cars have a place, but with a good enough public transport system, I think it would not be long before cars were abandoned as obsolete by most.
What do you think, dangerous lunatic or world saving idea?
I’m sure I’ll be written off as a communist…
