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.
Sir, – We need to discourage the use of private cars in order to help address our climate obligations. This tends to be perceived very negatively by car users, but could in fact hugely increase our quality of life.https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/private-cars-and-quality-of-life-1.3704543
Let’s imagine we introduce a charge for taking a private car into our city centres and simultaneously provide free public transport and increase the number of city bicycles available.
Potential advantages include the reduction of pollution levels in the cities, better traffic flow for public transport and essential transport and deliveries in cities, better living conditions for city dwellers, safer roads for pedestrians and cyclists, a healthier and fitter population.
Clearly there would have to be exceptions to the charge, perhaps zero emission vehicles, vehicles with a disability sticker, all public transport vehicles, delivery vehicles of a particular size, construction-related vehicles and essential services? Perhaps there could also be an appeal process for reclaiming the charge in instances of unexpected emergencies.
Let’s imagine cities where the people, not the cars, are the kings of the road. – Yours, etc,
JENNY O’LEARY,
Goatstown,
Dublin 14.
