Let's introduce free public transport - an example to the world

by Roger Fowler RAM activist & electoral candidate 22 August 2008 Emissions trading is a daft and counter-productive concept. There is one thing all those genuinely concerned with global warming and climate change agree on: we need to take urgent effective action that's big and substantial to have any prospect of averting global disaster. These phony trading schemes will only give a false appearance of "doing something", while letting the big polluters off the hook and making things worse. Carbon taxes should be ploughed into funding fare-free public transport in the cities to introduce a massive upgrade of public transport infrastructure with new, modern emission-free buses, ferries and electric trains. Make them free and frequent to get the bulk of people out of their cars. Government cash earmarked for motorway expansion should be immediately diverted to help fund such a decent free public transport network in all the main cities. This achievable and innovative action will catch the attention of other countries and could lead a world-wide move to dramatically cut traffic congestion, precious fuel wastage, and emissions everywhere. New Zealand could be the first country to introduce fare-free public transport, and set a great example for other nations. Now that would be “big, substantial, urgent effective action” that could have a real chance of rolling back pollution and global warming! Sent to the Green Party ets@greens.org.nz (22 August 2008)