Quote:
Originally Posted by OLD BOY
Putting in a comprehensive bus and coach system with frequent services and fare reductions will cost an absolute fortune, but I do think we need to look at that, given the benefits that would result. It should always be much cheaper to use public transport than the private car.
|
Public transport in South Yorkshire in the late 70's/early 80's used to be under local authority control and the fares were kept very low (I remember reading somewhere adult fares were capped at 2p/mile on busses - cheapest in the country??).
When I was at school in the early 80's I used to get a bus to see a friend in Sheffield and it cost the grand total of 25p each way (child fares)!! The fare was 15p to the West Yorkshire / South Yorkshire boarder (4 miles). 2p from the boarder to Barnsley Bus Station (4 miles). 6p from Barnsley Bus Station to Sheffield Bus Station (16 miles). 2p from Sheffield Bus Station to friends house (5 miles). So it worked out at nearly 4p/mile in West Yorkshire and 0.4p/mile in South Yorkshire. It used to take an age but once across the boarder in South Yorkshire the buses were rammed!!!
Public Transport was a very successful 'socialist' policy that I'm sure was one of the many reasons the Government of the day went out of its way to get rid of the GLC and the six Metropolitan County Councils.