Branson and global warming

[Xest]

tbh I'd use the bus more if it was cost effective, but at £4.80 for a 15minute journey to town and a 15minute journey back it's just not cost effective to use public transport.

I sometimes wonder if all this fuss about global warming is a bandwagon for politicians to jump on, so that they can introduce congestion charges, increase road tax, make MOT tests more difficult to get through (and more expensive) and maybe even one day force us all to use public transport. Generally adding to the "motorist misery".

That's a disturbingly paranoid point of view, I'm sure politicians worldwide don't have "Upsetting motorists for no reason" at the top of their agenda.

My idea to solve the congestion issue would be to make it so that there would be no new driving licences issued. If someone wanted a licence, then they would have to wait for one to become available through older drivers having to give up driving, etc.

So you'd end up with tons of pensioners driving maybe once a week to get their groceries whilst the economy collapses due to the working generations not being able to get to work? Great idea.

Another option would be to have driving licences last only 5 years and increase the price (alot)

Canada's system works like this, you have to renew your license every 5 years and it costs for each renewal.

However, what I don't like about all this is the demonisation of drivers. People should be allowed choose the method of transport that they prefer and the government shouldn't be subsidising other forms.

It's more cars that eat more fuel than is necessary to do the job that's the problem. Someone who lives by themselves and drives by themselves in a 4x4 that they've never taken off-road isn't the same as someone who buys an efficient family car to constantly carry 4/5 people in it - I don't think it's unfair these people pay a premium for what is plain and simply just showing off.

[<ankh>]

Another option would be to have driving licences last only 5 years and increase the price (alot)

Increase the price? As it is now (in sweden atleast) it cost like thousands of £ unless you have some mate who you can practice with. And I do mean thousands.

/Ankh

[Ovi]

tbh I'd use the bus more if it was cost effective, but at £4.80 for a 15minute journey to town and a 15minute journey back it's just not cost effective to use public transport.

It's not just cost effective, it's time efficiency too.

We moved offices about 5 years ago, before that I could catch the train which used to take me 30 minutes or so, whereas driving there would have taken 45 minutes and been a nightmare to find anywhere to park every day.

I only learnt to drive after the move. It now takes me 30 minutes to drive, but if I use public transport now it would take 90 minutes or more IF everything was running on time.

[Xest]

It's not just cost effective, it's time efficiency too.

We moved offices about 5 years ago, before that I could catch the train which used to take me 30 minutes or so, whereas driving there would have taken 45 minutes and been a nightmare to find anywhere to park every day.

I only learnt to drive after the move. It now takes me 30 minutes to drive, but if I use public transport now it would take 90 minutes or more IF everything was running on time.

I've not had problems with trains personally, it's buses that are a joke, the only issue I have with trains is their entirely random pricing schemes where 2 singles are often cheaper than a return and a journey from Leeds to London can cost anything between £8.45 and £180 with no logical cost pattern (i.e. it doesn't even seem related to time of day or when you book).

I do think our train system is for the most part pretty decent in the UK, but again buses are just too irregular, too slow and too costly and all that's assuming they even actually turn up at all.

[Ovi]

I agree trains aren't so bad.

My problem is that in Birmingham there are no trains that go around the city, only buses, and my journet is around the city.

If I get the bus I need to get 3 different buses and spend hours stuck in trafic going all over the place. To get here by train I need to go into the city centre, then another train out of the city centre and finally a bus for the last part of the journey.

I used to love catching the train, I had a 5-10 minute or so walk either end and could pretty much relax and switch off. Now I get less walking per day and get stressed at idiots in BMWs

[Luz]

I saw an report (or whatever its called) on 60-minutes about scientists that are being silenced by the White House.

They are saying that the illusion that there is "lots of time" is just that, an illusuion. They were claiming that its a matter of 50 years to point-of-no-return, when it will be to late to stop the effects.

Personally I find it quite scary.

Sure the effect themself might not come untill alot later, but they will come and it will be to late to act.

[Cernos]

That isn't fair at all.

Another option would be to have driving licences last only 5 years and increase the price (alot)

And price those on a low income out of car ownership? How is that fair either. Personal transport shouldn't just be a luxury of the rich.

The solution isn't to hit motorists hard with taxes, duties and tolls - this hits the poor far harder than those who can afford to brush off the taxes as an inconvenience.

The solution is a balanced approach to transport policy that accepts that people have a right to personal transport if they choose but should be encouraged on to cheap and reliable public transport wherever possible.

The problem in the UK is that public transport is neither cheap, reliable, safe or secure. When it costs far more to catch a train between two UK cities than it does to FLY to a distant European city on a bnudget airline, then something is horribly horribly wrong with UK transport policy.

And when you pay a premium price for the privilege of waiting for delayed buses and trains, then being herded onto public transport like cattle and crushed with the ever present threat of being mugged, knifed, sexually assaulted or robbed .... is it any wonder people want to use their cars??

[bean]

I’ve never been moved to post but this is a subject that I feel strongly about. I am a Geologist and have worked within the Oil and Gas industry we are not the big bad boys often portrayed sometimes it is better to effect change from within after all do we not all have extended families and a future to think about!

Two important facts about OIL

It is a necessity of modern Living we are living in the OIL age.

Oil provides fuel yes but this is the lesser component of overall oil consumption the remainder is or its derivatives are in almost everything from drugs, plastics, paint varnish, glue and to name but a few; it contributes to almost every item you can think of.

Secondly it is running out not in our lifetime but if we carry on as we are going in our children’s children’s. As China and India rise as great economies in the world there desire to have higher standards of living increases with the wealth of the population. Consumption will increase drastically.

The human race are funny bunch cruel, possessive, compassionate and inventive. Necessity is the mother of all invention and it is blindingly obvious even to those with there heads firmly stuck in the sand that not only that we have to conserve oil but that its use as a fuel is damaging the world. I firmly believe that the path of least resistance is changing it is will no longer be easy or cheap to rely on OIL as our main source of fuel. GAS will and is filling the fuel gap and its consumption is increasing accordingly this is a short-term solution and fortunately a cleaner burn.

This world will be a much-changed place in 20 years time. With vision and foresight the ability to cope with increased OIL demand can be managed. Clean non crude oil based fuels will be nessacery to manage the increased non fuel OIL demands and prevent complete environmental disaster.

We can all help let conservation of energy and recycling become the norm. It is time the so called developed world showed it can lead by example the norm can change have your 4x4 or Truck but if you can afford it why not convert it to LPG or Rape seed oil!!

[Lairiodd]

And price those on a low income out of car ownership? How is that fair either. Personal transport shouldn't just be a luxury of the rich.

Everyone who uses the roads should have to pay in proportion to the costs of maintance that they cause.

I think people should be allowed to choose whatever they want. Mototist and bus users should be charged exactly the cost of using the respective modes of transport.

I know that suggesting the government should do it for alot of things sounds like a good idea as it prevents poor people from not being able to afford "necessary" things, but that is rarely the case. Buisnesses will always set their price so that most people can afford the good ... I mean that is how they can max their profits.

The solution is a balanced approach to transport policy that accepts that people have a right to personal transport if they choose but should be encouraged on to cheap and reliable public transport wherever possible.

Public transport is rarely cheap and certainly not efficient.

Another point is reliability. Your car will never go on strike and demand higher wages.

In fact, IMO, that is one of the main problems with it. The other problem is door to door service, you rarely get that with public transport.

And when you pay a premium price for the privilege of waiting for delayed buses and trains, then being herded onto public transport like cattle and crushed with the ever present threat of being mugged, knifed, sexually assaulted or robbed .... is it any wonder people want to use their cars??

Budget airlines are run by buisnessmen and the rail network isn't (as much). In any case, a company like Ryanair has also no union penetration.

There was a survey in the US and the main issues people had with public transport is door to door service and also the fact that you had to share with potential "undesirables".

Edit: Also wanted to point out that it is not always clear cut. Public transport is better for high density urban areas, while cars are much better for low density.

[Quinlan]

Even if public transportation would be free there still would be alot of people who will drive.

Nothing beats cruising around with some nice tunes. But then i love cars and am a vivid believer in the incorrectness of the global warming theory.