Public transport can help the climate change fight
AS people may or may not know, I am a strong advocate for better public transport. Which is important as many residents in both the ward I live in and represent on the council don’t have a car.
Yet at the same time I’m realistic. I can certainly encourage people to use the bus when making a direct journey into town, using the argument that it’ll prevent any possible difficulties with parking.
However, when it comes to making more complex journeys involving a change of bus, I know that only the most parsimonious who have a free bus pass will leave their cars in the garage. Similarly, when it’s raining heavily and the nearest bus stop is several hundred yards away, perhaps not even having a shelter to wait in.
If in the future we do want to get people out of their cars and into the bus, then we really do need to look at the ways in which such issues can be resolved.
I suppose Stagecoach have tried to do this by having routes merging with one another, such as the No.3\4 and the No.7\8\9\10. It may well mean that you’re not going the most direct way, but if passengers know they can reach their destination without changing it is to their advantage. Thus, perhaps someone far more experienced in timetabling could look at joining up more services so, for instance, people from places like Nunsthorpe, the Grange, Bradley Park, West Marsh, and the Willows can travel to the hospital on one bus.
As for treks to bus stops, why not consider hail and ride? Obviously, you’d need the return of conductors for this, which the bus companies won’t contemplate on cost grounds alone. But if the Government are serious about taking action to prevent climate change it’d be cheaper to subsidise conductors than to engage in an expensive road building programme. Buses could also be redesigned to have two doors, making it easier to get on and off.
Whatever, we need to seriously think how we can reduce reliance on the petrol driven motor car.
Tim Mickleburgh, Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby.