Imagine if Ireland was able to implement a single policy that could reduce traffic, combat climate change, let people take up jobs they couldn’t before, make life in rural Ireland easier and reduce the cost of living all at once. And it only took a year or two to get it up and running. It may sound too good to be true but free public transport could do all this and we want to pilot it in Galway during 2020.https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/let-s-get-galway-moving-in-2020
Les Calaisiens trouvent le carburant trop cher ? Entendu, l’agglo se donne un an pour leur faire préférer le bus.https://detours.canal.fr/apres-dunkerque-calais-passe-aux-bus-gratuits/?
100 000 habitants sans ticket. Les maires des dix communes de l’agglomération de Calais se sont réunis et ont voté à l’unanimité la gratuité des bus. Elle sera actée sur tout le réseau avant 2020. Aujourd’hui, l’abonnement mensuel coûte une quinzaine d’euros. Demain, on montera sans débourser un centime.
A public meeting will take place tomorrow in Ramsey to discuss free public transport.https://www.energyfm.net/cms/news_story_608445.html?
It's hosted by the Fare Free Campaign group, which held an introductory event in Douglas last month.
The group will discuss how free public transport has been proven to work in Estonia, France, Poland and other countries as a way of combatting climate change and poverty and what benefits it would bring to the Isle of Man.
The Ramsey event will take place Thursday 12th December at The Royal George from 8pm.
In the region Hannover the free public transport was tested. (Icon)
Bus and train users in the Hannover network drove free of charge from Saturday at midnight until Sunday morning at 5 pm – a day of action that should encourage motorists to change trains. The responsible persons showed themselves satisfied in the evening: The free day was "relaxed according to all involved parties", said the city. Hanover's new mayor Belit Onay (Green) praised the cooperation between the police, fire brigade, traffic authority, security service and market authorities as well as the region and the transport association Greater Hannover (GVH), which would have kept the development under the leadership of the city throughout Saturday in view : "I am very pleased about the constructive and successful cooperation," said Onay.
Jeunes PoP stated that “the climate emergency calls for a social and economic paradigm shift. Individual transport accounts for 29% of CO2 emissions in Switzerland and has been stable for around ten years. Free public transport contributes to a structural change in our transport model, by developing the economy of the commons and free services”.https://peoplesdispatch.org/2019/11/30/swiss-communist-youth-campaign-for-free-public-transport/
Publié le 13 septembre 2019 par Collectif pour la gratuité des transports dans l’agglomération grenobloise
A l’occasion des deuxièmes rencontres internationales des transports publics gratuits à Châteauroux, la Coordination nationale des collectifs pour la gratuité des transports publics a lancé un appel pour interpeller et mobiliser dans la perspective des prochaines élections municipales.
Cet appel a été signé par plus de 150 personnalités politiques, syndicales ou du monde associatif.
"In summary, introducing free public transport for all users would require substantial additional funding by the taxpayer or from other sources." -- Shane Rosshttps://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/transport-minister-shane-ross-rules-out-free-public-transport-to-tackle-climate-change-965709.html
- More people on buses and trains helps to reduce traffic and congestion in inner cities.
- Fewer cars on the road mean fewer cars producing harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases
- Less traffic means shorter commute times and less time spent running engines wastefully in traffic
- When a population is more reliant upon public transport it becomes much easier to transition the transport sector to electric vehicles, simultaneously reducing our carbon footprint and air pollution
- A less car-centric culture could ultimately give cities back to pedestrians.
Free public transport for all is to be pledged by the Scottish Greens in its election manifesto, The Scotsman has learned.https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/free-public-transport-for-all-to-be-pledged-by-greens-1-5051099
Fare free public transport is vital for climate action and ending traffic congestion. Instead we've low investment in public transport and a privatisation agenda. I will be questioning the Minister soon in the #Dáil about this. #dubw #ClimateEmergency
— Ruth Coppinger TD (@RuthCoppingerTD) November 21, 2019
This Saturday Stockholm commuters gather for a public transport uprising in response to fare hikes. Hikes will take place each year, and the price of the monthly pass has sky-rocketed towards 1000 SEK. Since 1990, the degree of tax financing has dropped from 70% to 45% (1/4) pic.twitter.com/O5QKXh7rbE
— Planka.nu (@plankanu) November 13, 2019
Launching our Manifesto for Radical #ClimateAction
— People Before Profit (@pb4p) November 12, 2019
✔ Free Public Transport and cycling infrastructure
✔ Clean Energy
✔ Just Transition
✔ Sustainable Agriculture
✔ Massive Retrofit Plan pic.twitter.com/CAI2bjMsYJ
„Príjmy z cestovných lístkov sa blížia k 10-tim percentám zo sumy vynaloženej na verejnú dopravu v Komárne. Čo je dôležitejšie, aby občania mesta čo najviac využívali túto službu. Zároveň týmto môžeme zabezpečiť, aby ľudia nechávali svoje autá doma, čo prispeje aj k zlepšeniu životného prostredia, parkovacích podmienok, a taktiež zníženiu hustej dopravy a zápcham. Okrem toho tiež pomôžeme sociálne slabším, aby mohli cestovať do práce, alebo do školy zadarmo,“ vysvetľuje pre Startitup primátor mesta Komárno Béla Keszegh.Google Translate to English:
Na základe schválenej koncepcie bude prebiehať verejné obstarávanie, a pravdepodobne od budúceho januára môžu občania cestovať bezplatne.
“Ticket revenues are close to 10 percent of the amount spent on public transport in Komárno. More importantly, the citizens of the city make the most of this service. At the same time, we can ensure that people leave their cars at home, which will also contribute to improving the environment, parking conditions, as well as reducing heavy traffic and congestion. In addition, we will also help the socially disadvantaged to travel to work or school for free, ” explains Mayor of Komárno Béla Keszegh for Startitup .https://www.startitup.sk/prve-mesto-na-slovensku-zavadza-mhd-zadarmo-pre-kazdeho/
On the basis of the approved concept, public procurement is under way, and citizens are likely to be free to travel from next January.
Commuters to Dublin from Wicklow and Wexford are facing years of road works and delays as detailed plans emerge for a third lane and junction closures along sections of the road between Loughlinstown Hospital and Ashford.
“We are considering public transport free of charge in order to reduce the number of private cars,” the letter says.https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/air-pollution-germany-free-public-transportation/
“Effectively fighting air pollution without any further unnecessary delays is of the highest priority for Germany,” they added.
The European Commission called out several other countries, including Spain, France, and Italy, for having excessive nitrogen dioxide and fine particles in the atmosphere, according to the Guardian.
Severe pollution causes 400,000 premature deaths and leads to $24.7 billion in health care costs each year across Europe.
An event will be held in Douglas tonight to explain to people why the Island should have free public transport.https://www.energyfm.net/cms/news_story_602108.html
Fare Free IOM say the event is a public introduction to a project which the campaign group have been working on for the past six months.
It's in response to a consultation which the IOM Government launched earlier this year, where respondents were asked what their views were on free public transport - over 80% agreed.
Northside councillor Thomas Gould said it would have the triple effect of reducing emissions and congestion while giving back to the taxpayer.
Similar schemes are in place in Dunkirk, in France, Tallinn, in Estonia, and throughout Luxembourg - which became the first country in the world to make all its public transportation free of charge this summer. Beijing gives free bus travel to people who recycle plastic bottles, while Istanbul offers travel card top-ups to commuters who recycle waste.
Workers’ Party councillor Ted Tynan brought a motion to City Hall calling for free public transport earlier this year.
Hódmezővásárhely will soon become the first Hungarian city with county rights to make public transport completely free of charge, one of the promises of the town’s reelected mayor, Péter Márki-Zay.
According to Márki-Zay, the new policy has a double aim: to ameliorate (increase) the buses’ utilization rate and to exempt locals from having to pay for the transport.https://hungarytoday.hu/hodmezovasarhely-free-public-transport-marki-zay/
STA, 29 October 2019 - The National Assembly unanimously endorsed on Tuesday legislative changes making public transportation free of charge for pensioners and persons with disabilities, among others, as of 1 July 2020.
A scheme to offer a month's free public transport to commuters in South Yorkshire was inundated with applications on its opening day. Travel South Yorkshire (TSY) is giving away 500 free, 28-day bus, tram and train passes to people who usually travel to work by car. The scheme was open until 8 November, but TSY said it had already received 700 applications on Tuesday morning. TSY said it would ease congestion and pollution and help people save money. The company added it would also help people become more active and be better for the environment.https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-50138792
Free public transport, which will continue being available for young people, will be extend-ed to people 75 and over. This represents a slow transition to a radical proposition to make public transport free for all users.https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/editorial/98036/raising_the_green_bar#.XabjkugvPnE
Les deuxièmes Rencontres des villes en gratuité des transports publics, qui se sont déroulées les 10 et 11 septembre à Châteauroux (où s’est tenue la troisième Coordination nationale), sont l’occasion de faire le point sur l’avancée de cette revendication que le NPA défend depuis plusieurs années.
Depuis 2 ans on observe une nette avancée de cette idée, déjà à l’œuvre dans une trentaine de villes. Après Aubagne, l’arrivée de transports gratuits à Dunkerque, Calais, mais aussi à l’étranger, à Tallin (Estonie) ou au Luxembourg, a crédibilisé cette solution à une échelle de masse. Les annonces d’expérimentations en Allemagne, à Paris, à Clermont-Ferrand, etc., donnent de l’écho à la gratuité des transports comme un sujet sérieux et une véritable voie alternative. Les municipalités où la gratuité existe reconnaissent qu’un retour en arrière serait un suicide politique au vu de la satisfaction populaire, comme à Châteauroux ou à Aubagne, pourtant à droite.https://npa2009.org/actualite/services-publics/transports-publics-gratuits-ca-bouge-en-france
Non-compliant vehicles could be charged between £8-12.50 to enter and the scheme, would would cost around £55m, could bring in between £130-£200m before being decommissioned in 2028.
Coventry council is against such a measure and submitted revised plans in June which it believes would reduce NO2 without the need for a charging zone.
Mr Nellist's petition has called for free public transport and environmentally friendly powered vehicles to solve the clean air problem.
The campaigner, who leads the city’s Socialist Party, added: "It is going to take a big modal shift from private cars into clean public transport and we are delaying that decision by going down what the Tory government think is an easy route.
A large majority of Germans say that public transportation services should be offered free of charge, a survey commissioned by carmaker Daimler has found. In a survey conducted by pollster Forsa among 1,200 people in November 2018, 69 percent of respondents said bus and train services should be available for freehttps://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/two-thirds-germans-favour-free-public-transport-offers
the opposition candidate Gergely Karácsony to lead #Budapest propose to taxation on luxury properties, limiting the impact of tourism and making the public transport free #Karácsony #hungary
— francesco valle (@keccov) October 13, 2019
Compared with 2017, the public transport use of Tallinn's residents has increased by 10%, a survey carried out by pollster Turu-uuringute AS showed. It also indicated that 83% of Tallinners are satisfied with the way public transport is organised in Tallinn, while just 6.3% said they aren't happy with it.https://news.err.ee/907933/use-of-tallinn-public-transport-increases-by-10-in-2018
Out in St.Lukes/Dillons Cross advocating for free public transport in Cork. The approach of unjust taxes that take no account of ability to pay nor ensuring a just transition away from fossil fuels must be fought against. We need to fight for system change, not climate change! pic.twitter.com/Cte6mPjreP
— Fiona Ryan (@CllrFionaRyan) October 4, 2019
Students would be given free access to all public transport, similar to the existing scheme for pensioners, under proposals from the Green Party.https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/greens-propose-free-public-transport-scheme-for-students-1.4038918?
The Green party wants to scrap the Conservatives’ £6.5bn plans for new roads and will instead use the cash to fund free bus travel for all.https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-party-conference-free-bus-fund-public-transport-climate-change-a9138211.html
— Dublin Sinn Féin (@DublinSinnFein) October 2, 2019
A new ad campaign for Swedish public transit service Västtrafik turns toy cars into an imposing illustration of the 30,000 vehicles that could be removed from the road through a current promotion offering drivers in the region free bus transport for two weeks.
Removing 30,000 cars from the roads of western Sweden would amount to a 15% reduction in daily car commuters, a stat that creative agency Forsman & Bodenfors chose to represent through miniature cars. The result of the intricately assembled ad concept is a spot that shows the scope of what could be accomplished with the promotion:https://www.adweek.com/creativity/30000-toy-cars-illustrate-how-mass-transit-could-dramatically-reduce-traffic/
Frédéric Héran, a transport economist says:The experience in Dunkirk shows this to be false.
When mayor Anne Hidalgo suggested she would look at scrapping fares, Frédéric Héran, a transport economist, said the measure “made no sense”.
“Who will the new public transport users be?” he asked. “All studies have shown they will be cyclists, then pedestrians and very few motorists. This clearly shows it’s an anti-cycling, anti-pedestrian measure and not very discouraging to cars.”
An academic study on the experience shows that bus use has skyrocketed more than 60% on weekdays and more than doubled on weekends, with 48% of users saying they now leave their cars at home. Furthermore, 5% of those surveyed said they have sold their car or decided not to purchase a second vehicle.https://www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedans/2019/09/15/is-free-public-transport-in-cities-the-wayforward/#5510baba00ee
La gratuité des transports en commun est déjà instaurée dans une trentaine d’agglomérations en France (par exemple, Aubagne, Dunkerque) et des dizaines d’autres dans le monde. D’autres la prévoient ou lancent des études. En Estonie, après la capitale Tallinn, la gratuité s’étend à tout le territoire. Au Luxembourg, tous les transports en commun (bus, tram, train) seront gratuits en 2020. Toutes les expériences montrent que la gratuité, associée à une augmentation de l’offre, entraîne systématiquement une forte hausse de l’usage des transports en commun.http://reseau-gratuite-transports.org/?p=72
Since the introduction of free public transport in Tartu County last July, the number of bus passengers on county routes has seen significant growth, regional Tartu Postimees reports.
A total of 131,269 passengers used the free regional bus service in July 2018, up 35.2 percent on year from 97,083 in July 2017, Tartu County Public Transport Centre management board member Tõnis Piir said. This July, the number of passengers using the county's free transport totaled 153,049, indicating a further 16.6 percent growth on year in ridership.
According to Vincent Kauffmann, a professor at University of Lausanne and one of key figures in sustainable mobility, “free public transport does not make any sense.” Getting rid of tickets in mass transit is judged “irrational,” “uneconomical” and “unsustainable.”
However, if we turn to commentators from outside the field of transport, the perspective on fare abolition changes radically. Social scientists, activists, journalists and public officials—often speaking from cities where fare abolition has actually been put to the test—fervently defend the measure.
https://tribunemag.co.uk/2019/08/public-transport-can-be-free
From the perspective of creating sustainable, liveable cities, the dominance of private, motorised cars using the internal combustion engine (ICE) based on burning oil or diesel is a significant obstacle to be overcome. A city dominated by fossil fuel based private car-based transport is a net negative in terms of:
- congestion (remember you are not ‘stuck in traffic, you are traffic’);
- the large amounts urban space its requires (more roads and car parking, less shared spaces, parks, urban lakes etc.);
- damaging impacts on the quality of life in the urban environment and the private enclosure of public space (urban space being viewed as a commons – see my previous post on this);
- health impacts of air and noise pollution, and car accidents;
- burdens our health care system with substantial medical costs;
- inequality, working class areas being used as quick routes around the city, in areas where fewer people have cars;
With congestion becoming an increasing problem in more and more Danish cities, Dansk Folkeparti (DF) wants to look into the possibility of making public transportation free.http://cphpost.dk/news/danish-party-considering-free-public-transportation.html
Morten Messerschmidt, the DF spokesperson for climate issues, said the party wants to investigate the cost of making public transport free in Denmark’s four biggest cities: Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense and Aalborg.
A US city roughly the same size as Dublin is on the verge of eliminating fares for public transport.https://www.joe.ie/life-style/us-city-size-dublin-verge-making-public-transport-free-677794
THE BUSES are on time, the trams are shiny and new, and passengers usually get a seat. In many cities that would be remarkable enough. But in Tallinn locals are also not required to buy a ticket. In 2013 it became the world’s first capital city to offer residents free public transport. Estonia as a whole has been following suit, and last year set the ambition of becoming the first country with free public transport nationwide. Buses are now free of charge in 11 of its 15 counties.
...
The use of public transport in Tallinn has gone up by 10%, while the number of cars in the city centre has gone down by 10%, meaning less congestion. In the countryside, free buses aim to halt rural depopulation by boosting mobility and access to jobs.
...
In Tallinn higher parking fees and reduced space for cars also played a part in cutting city-centre traffic: on-street parking now costs €6 an hour, and some parking spaces and car lanes have been replaced by bus lanes. Officials say providing a free alternative allowed them to avoid a backlash when driving in the capital was made more expensive and less convenient.
According to United Nations research, cities consume 78 per cent of the world’s energy and produce more than 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, yet they only account for just under 2 per cent of the earth’s surface. Rapid urbanisation is exacerbating this imbalance. To limit global warming in the way we all claim to want to, we need to dramatically overhaul how we use energy and infrastructure and transportation is a significant part of that.https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/climate-change-heatwave-global-warming-free-public-transport-luxembourg-a9023181.html
Cars account for about 40 per cent of all global greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. Encouraging the 8 million people who live in London to use public transport would not only dramatically improve congestion and therefore quality of living, but it would also slash emissions in one of Europe’s most polluted cities.
Mayor of Monehim Daniel Zimmermann has not been dismayed, however. Starting April 2020, the city will make all the lines of its public transport fleet free of charge. As the town has been developing rapidly and has been growing richer and richer, the local authorities are more than ready to take over the full cost of public transportation. Estimates on the costs range between 2.5 and 3 million euro, which will be allocated from the city’s budget surplus. When presenting his vision for the future of the city, Zimmerman stated that "We have committed ourselves in our climate concept to reduce emissions".
Porto City Council has unanimously approved the creation of "Porto 13-15", enabling 13 to 15-year olds to travel free of charge on the TIP public transport system within the city.https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/free-public-transport-for-13-15-year-olds/50344
During the council session, Porto Mayor, Rui Moreira, justified this decision by saying “at these ages, habits are born and changed”.
He spoke of it being a fundamental measure related to mobility and climate change.
However, he assumed that it would be necessary to improve supply and comfort.
Scottish Socialist Party branches and members took to bus, ferry, train, tram and subway stations on Saturday 15th June, campaigning for Free Public Transport as part of a national day of action.https://scottishsocialistparty.org/free-public-transport-day-of-action/
The Scottish Parliament has the power to take ScotRail, CalMac and all national and local bus companies into public ownership. We should use these powers to provide free public transport for all. This would radically reduce CO2 emissions and congestion, free people from rip-off fares and toxic pollution, end private profiteering in public services, alleviate pressure on the NHS (through reduced road accidents and increased air quality) and give people a sustainable and affordable travel option.https://www.thenational.scot/politics/17705315.free-public-transport-is-the-answer-to-several-problems/
Citizens in Monheim will be able to ride buses without a ticket from April 2020, regional newspaper the Rheinische Post has reported.
The radical plan is a bid to reduce air pollution by encouraging more people to ditch their cars and take public transport.
The move comes after the German government last year said it was considering free public transport “to reduce the number of private cars”.
Since then, five German cities – Bonn, Essen, Herrenberg, Mannheim and Reutlingen – have been earmarked to offer significantly cheaper transport tickets, with the government poised to subsidize the projects with €128 million to help cover the income shortfall.
The Scottish Greens have promised to campaign for free public transport across Europe if the party elects its first MEP at this month’s Euro elections.https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-greens-call-for-free-public-transport-across-europe-1-4922590
We conclude that to be even more effective, it should be extended to the all potential users, not just to local registered residents as it has been recently applied in state-run bus travels in rural municipalities in Estonia. Finally, more restrictive private car policies should be considered to fuel a sustainable mobility transition and increase cities life quality.
https://t.co/Uhst84o8w5 Germany considering free public transportation to take on air pollution
— Patricia Moreno (@PatriciaMorgon) February 26, 2019
Campaigners have called for free bus travel and the reopening of hundreds of miles of railway lines to end reliance on cars, as transport is due to be confirmed as the UK’s largest contributor to greenhouse gases.
Official data released on Tuesday is expected to confirm transport as the most polluting sector, largely driven by cars. It outstripped energy for the first time in 2016, with annual emissions of about 125m tonnes of CO2. This figure has barely changed since 1990.
...We are aware, courtesy of the Transport Master Plan 2025, that 50 per cent of journeys made by private cars are of a short duration: less than 15 minutes. These would be short distances either within the same area or between neighbouring areas. Imagine transport policy effectively targeting these journeys through, for example, well-planned regional public transport, or frequent circular bus routes in the large localities. Isn’t the prize of being able to reduce traffic by a staggering 50 per cent worth the effort? We do not need flyovers and massive investment in road infrastructure to achieve this target. Just some common sense and the ability to plan long-term is all that is needed. The alternative will further increase traffic and, consequently, congestion on our roads....http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2019-01-27/blogs-opinions/Free-public-transport-6736202688
Public transport in Tallinn is currently free for all registered residents of the capital city. The coalition Centre Party, however, intends to expand free public transport in Tallinn to all Estonian residents, part of a broader effort to ultimately provide free transport throughout Estonia.https://news.err.ee/897410/centre-wants-to-expand-free-public-transport-in-estonia
Lofti Mostefa recently suggested that the STIB, Brussels public transport network, offers free transportation on Friday evenings and weekends.http://www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/13923/the-socialist-party-wants-free-public-transport-in-brussels-by-2024
His party now goes even further, with the ambition to turn the capital’s public transport free all week, by 2024.
...Those plans also include an allocation for free public transport for all Prague residents and visitors during times of smog emergencies, to allow all travellers a reprieve during times of air pollution....https://news.expats.cz/prague-public-transport/prague-to-offer-free-public-transport-during-smog-warnings/
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo had some potentially great news for Parisian families with young children on Thursday as she announced her "big bang for transport pricing" across the French capital.https://www.thelocal.fr/20190110/paris-set-to-roll-out-free-public-transport-for-children
The socialist mayor's flagship proposal will see children aged 4-11 able to use public transport for free in Paris while currently only children aged 0-4 travel for free.
