UK union joins free public transport campaign

by Colin Fox

Scottish Socialist Party national co-spokesperson

Whilst the political parties at Westminster were all agreeing to decimate public services the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) passed a resolution at its annual conference in Brighton to support the introduction of free public transport to combat global warming, reduce pollution and road traffic accidents and improve social inclusion.

The plan was initially developed by Alan McCombes and pioneered by the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) in the Scottish Parliament and has been described as ‘the most imaginative and audacious’ policy put forward by any party in the entire climate change debate. I was delighted to accept an invitation from the PCS’s Department for Transport conference to outline our specific policy objectives in detail to delegates.

If Scotland is to meet our target for reducing CO2 emissions by 2020 we must persuade people to use their cars less. Cars are responsible for 80% of the greenhouse gases attributable to transport.

In adopting the free public transport policy the PCS was influenced, as indeed we were, by the remarkable success of the scheme implemented by the authorities in the Belgian city of Hasselt. They introduced free public transport in 1997 in response to chronic traffic congestion. But instead of building more and more roads to accommodate more and more cars they took an alternative route. They abolished fares on their buses, trains and trams. Their aim was to provide people with a better alternative to using their cars. Critics scoffed at their idea and said it was madness, that people wouldn’t leave their beloved cars just because the bus was free. Yet in the space of three years passenger numbers in Hasselt increased tenfold from 330,000 in 1996 to 3.7million.

Blogging for a Fare-Free New Zealand

New Zealand has a new blogsite promoting free and frequent public transport, it's called Fare-Free New Zealand. Go to http://farefreenz.blogspot.com/

The editors welcome any NZ or international stories related to the campaign for fare-free public transport. Send to farefreenz(at)clear.net.nz 

The call for free public transport is being made internationally by environmentalists, campaigners against climate change, Green parties, and eco-socialists. It's a campaign focus that makes lots of ecological, economic and political sense. And it's a grassroots response to the threat of climate change that challenges the pro-market illogic of the pollution market (otherwise known as carbon or emissions trading).

Free and frequent public transport is one of the Ten Commandments promoted by RAM-Residents Action Movements. To read more about RAM's thinking on ecology and combating climate change read The RAM Plan.

The Myth of the Efficient Car

Without divine intervention – which seems to be the basis for most energy reduction schemes – there is simply no way to maintain both the atmosphere and personal transportation. The personal automobile must be abandoned, and quickly. Read more at http://climateandcapitalism.com/?p=684

'Road toll idiocy should be rejected outright' says RAM

RAM - Residents Action Movement Media release 25 August 2008 "National and Labour are showing themselves to be political twins when it comes to transport policy. Both parties want more extravagant motorways, and to pay for them they want to inflict road tolls on city drivers," said Roger Fowler, RAM's transport spokesperson. National MP Maurice Williamson's "exuberant" clammer for $50 a week toll charges, with support from Auckland mayor John Banks, has revealed National's real intentions: to build more roads and tunnels, and shove the cost onto road users. Labour's transport minister Annette King fully supports road tolls. Her only quibble is that the toll might be set "so high that people won't use the road". "This is a bit of a dilemma when you're embarking on a grand plan to spend over $7 billion on a maze of new motorways, bridges and tunnels in the Auckland region, as Labour is," said Roger Fowler. "The push for tolls from both Labour and National flies in the face of public opinion. Aucklanders have overwhelmingly rejected road tolls in all public opinion surveys." "Working families are already struggling to pay the bills. This toll madness will put them under intolerable pressure." "And it's double madness because of the seriousness of the climate change threat. All our energies should be going into reducing vehicle emissions, a major contributor to global warming." "Rather than piling idiocy on idiocy, we need immediate and bold political action on the twin problems of traffic gridlock and climate change," said Roger Fowler. RAM's common sense solution is for government cash earmarked for motorway expansion to be diverted into funding new networks of free and frequent public transport in main cities. This move, coupled with a carbon-offset charge on airport arrivals and hotel bookings, will be a major step towards rolling back carbon pollution and tackling global warming. This achievable and innovative action will catch the attention of other countries and could spark world-wide efforts to slash traffic congestion, oil consumption and vehicle emissions. At the start of this month the Thai government introduced free buses and trains in Bangkok for a six month trial to help low-income earners. (See Thailand: Free transit services by bus, rail launched to help low-income earners) "If a third world country like Thailand can afford free public transport, why can't New Zealand?" asked Roger Fowler. Free and frequent public transport in our main cities is one of RAM's "Ten Commandments" that will be the focus of RAM's election campaign. Backed by the enrolment of 3,000 new RAM members over the last few months, RAM is standing a substantial party list in the upcoming election as well a number of electoral candidates across the country. For more info, contact Roger Fowler: 021 2999491 mangere.east.access@paradise.net.nz

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)

Thailand: Free transit services by bus, rail launched to help low-income earners

from MCOT, Malaysia 1 August 2008 A new Thai government-sponsored package containing six measures designed to assist the low-income public, including both free bus and train fares for six months, was launched on Friday. Acting State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Thawil Samnakhon said on Modernine TV Friday morning that he expected the free rides which are now being offered on third-class and non-air-conditioned trains would increase the daily passenger volume between 15-20 per cent as compared to previous ridership. Assessment of traffic routes which are most heavily used by travelers will be conducted so that the SRT could increase its services to cope with passenger demand, he said. The SRT is expected to lose about Bt250 million in revenue, Mr. Thawil said, but the government will help pay for the losses. Meanwhile, Pinet Puapattanakul, director of the state-run Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), said his agency had already prepared 800 buses for to serve the increased volume of Bangkok passengers. Mr. Pinet said bus services would remain unchanged although the bus agency does not collect fees. Service assessment will be made this week which could be used for improving bus services in future. All six measures are being implemented from Friday, except for the reduction of excise tax on fuel which began July 25. The measures are aimed at boosting the Thai economy, which has become sluggish due to soaring oil prices, and also to assist the poor and low income wage-earners. The measures concerned are cuts in excise taxes on fuel, postponing an increase in prices for liquefied petroleum gas used by private householders and the free use of tap water by households using less than 50 cubic metres per month. The government will absorb the cost. The other measures are the free use of electricity of less than 80 units per month by households, with the government shouldering the expense, while for households using less than 150 units per month the government can pay half the bill, free travel on 800 ordinary buses operated by BMTA on 73 routes within Bangkok and its outlying areas, and free travel on third class railway carriages. Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has said the measures will cost the government about Bt46 billion (US$1.4 billion).

We need an MMP type campaign for free public transport

UNITYblog editorial 11 July 2008 A just released Australian report claims petrol could hit $A8 ($NZ10) a litre within a decade. The report confirms that people on low incomes will be the worst affected by Peak Oil scenarios. See 'Fuel for thought - The future of transport fuels: challenges and opportunities' But still NZ's Labour government wants to spend billions of dollars on new roading projects. They've been deafened by the honks of the roading lobby and aren't hearing the voices of people calling for a 21st century public transport system. Green Party co-leader Russel Norman responding to the Aussie report in the NZ Herald says: "Petrol at that price would make the Government's entire motorway building project a white elephant - modern day Easter Island statues. Our new motorways would be monuments to short sightedness and profligate waste of resources." "We have no choice but to move to a far less oil-dependent economy, because rising prices will give us no choice." That's why we need to forget about tinkering around with emissions trading schemes that are next to useless and build a nationwide, multi-organisation, campaign for free and frequent public transport. This is the solution that's desperately needed and which hundreds of thousands of people in NZ - and around the world - will see the sense of. Free and frequent public transport needs to be turned into the kind of high profile broad-based campaign that won MMP voting.

Truck blockade - positive spin off for Aucklanders

by Ondine Green 4 July 2008 1) Aucklanders report that, as long as they stay off the motorways, traffic this morning is at Sunday morning levels and it's much easier and more pleasant to get into work. In my personal experience, the bus I travelled on was half empty, got to its destination five minutes early, and passed almost as many bicycles coming up Great North Road than cars. The truckies' protest has had the positive spin off of showing Aucklanders what the city could be like without car congestion. Wouldn't it be great if it could be like this all the time? What if - for example - private cars were barred from the CBD on a permanent basis, with free and frequent buses and trains picking up the slack? 2) The truckies are carrying out a political strike. If ordinary workers tried to do this, they would be liable to major fines, asset seizures or even jail time. Why don't nurses, McDonalds workers or electricians have the right to do what the truckies are doing?

Scottish Socialist Party: Free public transport

Free public transport has emerged as a key demand from the international movement demanding public solutions to global warming. Check out the Free Public Transport site hosted by the Scottish Socialist Party.

ClimAction, free buses, and building a climate change movement - Rotorua activists talk to UNITYblog

Grant Rogers and Bernie Hornfeck are ClimAction and RAM activists in Rotorua. UNITYblog asked them some questions about what they’ve been doing locally and about the Rotorua District Council’s decision to run fare-free buses on 5 June, which is World Environment Day. What are the aims of ClimAction in Rotorua? Grant: We’ve been showing radical environmental films in schools and Marae to raise community consciousness. We’re now promoting ideas to encourage a critical conversation about how the social and environmental needs of people should be met by government. The provision of food, health, education and housing should be part of the sustainable development of human living. We are generating a great deal of collective support. We now have a profile in the community where we feel confident we can promote an educational campaign based on ecological socialism. In short, all generations must unite together to tackle higher costs of living and climate change, which is why we’re publicising land to be used for growing vegetables and fruit as community market gardens. Bernie: To inform and mobilise the people of Rotorua to take action around the issue of climate change and global warming, and leading up to the general election to put pressure on the corporates, government, local bodies and individuals to take urgent steps to reduce carbon emissions. Continue

Wanna climb on board a free bus?

RAM - Residents Action Movement Media release 30 May 2008 This coming Thursday, 5 June, is World Environment Day. It's the day nominated by the United Nations for political and community action to safeguard our planet's ecology. The UN has decreed that "the main international celebrations of World Environment Day 2008 will be held in New Zealand". Fuelled by concerns over climate warming, the official UN slogan for 2008 is "Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy". (See UN website notice http://www.unep.org/wed/2008/english/About_WED_2008/index.asp) In commemoration of World Environment Day, the Rotorua District Council has decided that buses in its region will run fare-free on 5 June. "Knowing that vehicle exhaust gases are a major contributor to climate warming, Rotorua District Council is giving a positive lead by making all its buses fare-free on World Environment Day," said Grant Morgan, chair of RAM - Residents Action Movement. "RAM calls on councils across New Zealand to follow Rotorua's example and make public transport in their regions fare-free on 5 June." "To highlight the excellent lead given in Rotorua, RAM is running its own fare-free bus in Auckland on World Environment Day," said Grant Morgan. Wanna climb on board RAM's free bus? Here’s how: MORNING: Departs 8am from Southmall Plaza, Manurewa, heading along Great South Rd to central Auckland. AFTERNOON: Departs 5pm from Wellesley St East, central city, destination Onehunga. Aboard RAM's free bus will be the first four Greater Auckland parliamentary electorate candidates to be announced by RAM. We call on the media: Climb on board and find out who they are. Over the last four years, RAM has been calling for free and frequent public transport funded by a major reallocation of the state roading budget. "RAM's fare-free bus on 5 June is a continuation of a long campaign to mobilise against climate warming while reducing the transport costs of cash-strapped families," said Grant Morgan. For more information, contact: Grant Morgan Chair of RAM - Residents Action Movement 021 2544 515 grantmorgan@paradise.net.nz

ClimAction, free buses, and building a climate change movement - Rotorua activists talk to UNITYblog

Grant Rogers and Bernie Hornfeck are ClimAction and RAM activists in Rotorua. UNITYblog asked them some questions about what they’ve been doing locally and about the Rotorua District Council’s decision to run fare-free buses on 5 June, which is World Environment Day. What are the aims of ClimAction in Rotorua? Grant: We’ve been showing radical environmental films in schools and Marae to raise community consciousness. We’re now promoting ideas to encourage a critical conversation about how the social and environmental needs of people should be met by government. The provision of food, health, education and housing should be part of the sustainable development of human living. We are generating a great deal of collective support. We now have a profile in the community where we feel confident we can promote an educational campaign based on ecological socialism. In short, all generations must unite together to tackle higher costs of living and climate change, which is why we’re publicising land to be used for growing vegetables and fruit as community market gardens. Bernie: To inform and mobilise the people of Rotorua to take action around the issue of climate change and global warming, and leading up to the general election to put pressure on the corporates, government, local bodies and individuals to take urgent steps to reduce carbon emissions. What has ClimAction been doing lately? Bernie: ClimAction has been showing the Al Gore DVD to schools, Marae, community groups etc. And we’re now looking at worksites, so we’re trying to get unions and delegates to invite us to speak on the job. What needs to be done in NZ to help prevent climate change? Grant: Pollution taxes for green house gas emitters; cheap public transport, including building extensive electric rail system; dramatically cut livestock numbers on farms by encouraging farming practices based on vegetable production; wind and tidal power supply; freight containers turned into recycling transfer stations in all suburbs; venues and parks to cut waste to landfill; schools to be recycle all waste; create car schools for teaching people how to convert cars from petrol to be run by electric battery; and woody mass to be used also for fuels to run some transport, to name a few. Bernie: It’s imperative that we, along with other countries, reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in order to reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere to 280 ppm or below. Our particular problem is the farming industry. We need to be talking to farmers about alternative farming methods before we reach crisis conditions, which would mean going on a war footing. Remember that during the World War II farmers were directed what to grow in the UK. World Environment Day is 5 June, what have you got planned in Rotorua? Bernie: Following a joint meeting with the Rotorua District Council it’s been agreed that in the morning City Focus will be the venue for a number of displays and events. In the afternoon there will be activities for children at the Lakefront and in the evening ClimAction will be showing a film to the public: “Who killed the electric car?” How come the Rotorua District Council is putting on free buses for the day? (see Rotorua’s World Environment Day celebrations) Grant: Because ClimAction has been active in the community organising meetings at schools and Marae. This has meant that the Rotorua District Council, through their environment planner, has been encouraged to act on the public’s concerns - though the council needs to be doing much more in practice. Should activists around the country be promoting a "free bus day" in their regions? Grant: Definitely yes, as public transport is sustainable and is available for everyone to use, especially people who are struggling to afford the heavily increasing price of petrol. Labour and National politicians are dragging their heels on climate change because they don't what to get off-side with big business. We obviously need a climate change movement in this country to get real solutions to this environmental crisis , how are we going to make that happen? Bernie: We need a high-powered campaign, along similar lines to the anti-smoking campaign. The campaign to focus on farming (more trees, less dairy and sheep farms); transport ( free environmentally friendly public transport, start converting cars to electricity, rebuild, electrify and extend the rail system); waste (a massive programme of recycling and a massive reduction in the creation of items that cause waste); domestic (subsidies to provide solar heating, solar panels, windmills, small water driven generators, house insulation etc.). What role do you think that RAM can play in tackling the climate change threat? Bernie: The first thing is for RAM to come out with a climate policy which is effective and realistic, something which no other party has yet done. After that we need to build a movement which will back it both inside and outside Parliament. The most important focus must be the working class.