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Craig Hall

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Any one for free public transport

In the UK we spend £6 billion on subsidies to the train and bus companies. If we add 1p on income tax we could raise a further £5 billion giving us a grand total of £11 billion a year to spend on infrastructure and transport and provide free public transport.
Not only would we create real jobs and growth, but it would eleviate congestion leading to cleaner air. Reduce road traffic accidents, increase disposable income to the poorest, after all we are being taxed to get to work and back. Can you imagine coal mine workers being charged to travel down the mine shafts.
It would also increase the chances of reducing our carbon emissions, it's a win win.

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    peter lindsay 30+

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    Feb 26 2013: I think the real question here is how can we encourage people to use mass transit systems rather than their own cars? Whether it is government or private or government funded and run by private enterprise is less important than if it reduces use of individual cars.

    • Craig Hall

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      Feb 27 2013: That is the problem right now, it is government funded and run by private enterprise and it's not very good and will not improve in its current format.
      If you kept fuel costs at current levels, £1.40 a litre in UK, and provided free buses and trains you would see a shift from cars. We have ended up with a car dependent economy simply because it is not possible to get around any other way practically.
      I'm sure that the cost of car insurance would also come down from the current extortionate rates.

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