Due to having a family, a school run and living in Northern Ireland, I have to maintain a car. I spend about £50 a week on fuel for this car which includes a school run from Bangor to Castlereagh, a work run then from Castlereagh to Belfast and then a return journey from Belfast to Bangor. Rain or shine, my car is warm and takes me (and the kids) from door to door to door and it takes 1 hour.
I could get the train from Bangor…
- 30 minute walk to train station.
- £113 a month for the ticket from Bangor to Belfast Central for me (takes 30 minutes).
- £56.50 a month for the ticket from Bangor to Belfast Central for each of the boys.
- 15 minute walk from train station to office.
So I end up, likely, wet, cold and uncomfortable, my tired kids are still 3 miles away from their school (necessitating a further bus journey, with cost and time), it’s taken longer, it’s more expensive and significantly less convenient. Why would anyone choose public transport if there was an alternative?
Now, re-imagine if public transport was free? How much more money would be in my pocket? And what would I use it for? And there could be one less car on the roads.
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