----- Original Message ----- From: "Susan Burchett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2007 12:01 PM Subject: Re: [canals-list] Re: Proposed new car tax (OT)
> I can't really see how public transport outside of London can be changed > economically to suit most of the population. Depends what you mean by "suit". If you mean provide what people have come to expect from cars, no it can't. The current underlying policy is really about persuading people that they have to take what PT can provide. This is not well known, nor is it widely appreciated just how limiting the intrinsic features of the system are. Basically if you don't want to travel at the same time and to and from the same places as a lot of other people, you can't. This greatly appeals to a certain collectivist ideology, as does the ability to have the means of transport publically owned. It's all being done very carefully. Hence the current phase is the attack on larger vehicles, because they offer certain features like space, comfort, ability to carry heavy / bulky goods, tow trailers or caravans etc, which PT never can. Once everyone is crammed into the smallest possible vehicle with several other people, it is a smaller step to PT. All done on the false premise that they take up significantly more road space or produce significantly more emissions. (Key word : significantly.) -- Niall
