Germany is planning to reduce road traffic danger – and especially pollution – by making public transport free. According to German environment minister Barbara Hendricks, “We are considering public transport free of charge in order to reduce the number of private cars. Effectively fighting air pollution without any further unnecessary delays is of the highest priority for Germany.”
The radical measure, due to be implemented by the end of the year, has been spurred by the fact Germany – along with eight other EU members including Spain, France and Italy – have now missed a deadline to meet EU limits on nitrogen dioxide and soot particles produced by diesel engines.
According to the European commission, air pollution across the bloc causes 400,000 deaths and costs €20bn euros in health spending per year.
Greenpeace has called for the free public transport in Germany to be paid for by car manufacturers. After all, there is little doubt that free public transport would create unprecedented demand.
If not the car makers, then how about drivers? Under the principle of polluter pays, how about fuel duty is increased to a level that pays for free local public transport?
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Vincent Edwards
This appears to be a variation on the Fuel Price Escalator introduced in the last days of Major’s Conservative government, adopted with enthusiasm by Blair’s Labour government then disowned by both parties when road hauliers launched protests and politicians realised that it was a vote loser. Town dwellers protested loudly that it was unfair to people who lived in the country where public transport is scarce and car use virtually essential. Curiously, the same town dwellers were less enthusiastic about paying a proper economic price for home-produced food, which would help country folk much more, but that is another story.
Fuel duty is such a political hot potato that governments appear to be afraid to touch it – it has not been increased for several years. Motorists (almost all of whom, of course, are voters) would be furious if it were now raised, though if other taxes, such as VAT or National Insurance were raised they would just shrug their shoulders and put up with it – even if the adverse effect upon their budget was greater.
Cheaper motoring means nearly all of us can have a car and drive it as much as we like. Unfortunately it also means congested roads and more pollution.
Mark Dunn
Just making Public Transport free goes too far. There is a midway approach here. Some of a higher fuel duty could be kept as Public Transport credits (like Nector points etc..) so that the individual motorist has a substantial incentive to use Public Transport, at least occasionally. Such credits could start out quite small and increase as they become more accepted and Public Transport adjusts to the new demand. This is not like the usual hypotheticated taxes that the Treasury so dislikes. Such an increase would also make it harder for opponents of higher taxes since they could use the credits themselves. Such credits would encourage non Public Transport users to seriously consider using it at least occasionally. If time limits or similar are imposed on the use of the credits to encourage their timely use, any surplus money could be distributed for Public Transport.
Martyn
No we should not raise fuel tax for public transport, free or otherwise. We could put massive fines for persons involved with driving without insurance or road tax and feed this into public transport. Maybe then those without these will use public facilities not endanger the rest of us.
Graham Bates
Vincent Edwards makes some good points… about our unwillingness to pay a fair price for the damage we produce with cars. I do sympathise with the argument about country dwellers but newcomers have chosen to live there and bargained for the costs. I believe in abolishing “road tax” and loading fuel in proportion… and then again to reach an environmental payback. Smuggling fuel might be a minor problem but not insurmountable. It would, at least, stop drivers idling. Or is that a vain hope?
Simon fuller
We need to look at all ways to reduce reliance on cars. For too long the car manufacturers and road lobby have kept people reliant on cars just to work and live their lives. The alternatives are staring us in the face. Good provision for walking cycling and also electric bikes scooters and small electric buggies along with better buses and trains. There is no excuse for the authorities not to do this. The current transport system is wrecking the climate and pepoles lives.
Alan Willis
Increasing the duty on fuel is all very well if you live in the towns where there is a plethora of public transport as an alternative, here in County Durham there is one bus an hour to Newcastle and one bus an hour to Durham walking and cycling is all very well if you are young and fit as we live in a hilly part of the country not like Lincolnshire or Oxford not everyone can do this .