Demand free, public and extended transport networks
Timea Kun, Northampton Socialist Party
With the cost-of-living crisis squeezing us harder and harder, the government has finally stepped up with a pitiful attempt to soften the brutal financial blows looming.
This coming winter, the government will hand over up to £60 million to bus operators to ‘help’ them cap bus fares across the country at £2 for a single. But not all year round, for a measly three months!
Currently, single bus tickets in some cities can cost you as much as £6. Here in Northampton, £2 will buy you a five-minute journey. And that’s if you can catch the infrequent and unreliable bus.
Bus cuts
For many in more rural areas that option doesn’t even apply, as less profitable routes have been cut and replaced with expensive, and even more infrequent, minibus services.
The limited government subsidy, to apply from January to March next year, shows us that the money is there. But the measure is not enough to offset soaring bills, there is no guarantee of maintaining or improving services.
Bus services across England are run by private companies like Stagecoach that, from May to October last year, saw its year-on-year profits double to £32.9 million.
Though the use of public transport hasn’t increased significantly, profits have – evidence of price increases, and route and job cuts. The government’s announcement that it is “helping bus operators” is laughable given their recorded profits.
Rather than subsidise bus company profits while they cut services and charge rip-off fares, we demand nationalised public transport, under working-class control and management. Then services can be provided for free and democratically planned to meet our needs, incentivising public use and helping to address climate change and poor air quality in our towns and cities.
Reader’s opinion: ‘Free public transport’s time has come’
In Germany a three-month experiment has provided unlimited travel on buses, trams, metros and regional trains for just €9 (£7.80) a month.
The experiment is meant to help tackle the cost-of-living crisis and to cut car emissions.
More than 50 million tickets have already been bought. Sure enough, it has relieved citizens financially and it will have a positive effect on the environment. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says it is “our best idea yet.”
Spain is going to offer free tickets on all local and medium distance intercity routes until the end of the year.
Austria has a ‘klimaticket’ or climate ticket which covers nationwide travel for €91 a month, while Luxembourg made bus and rail travel free back in 2020.
Surely this all shows that free or heavily subsidised public transport is an idea whose time has come.
Alan Stewart, Wakefield
