A chara, – Minister of State Alan Kelly states, “Class perceptions are holding back public transport” (Home News, December 12th). Korea has an ingenious solution to this, namely subsidisation.
Although South Korean salaries are on par with Ireland, whether one travels one kilometre or 160km, the charge on Seoul metro is fixed and less than a euro. Population density is an obvious factor, but an economic argument will get the attention of all. – Is mise,
EOIN O COLGAIN,
Departamento de Fisica,
Universidad de Oviedo,
Oviedo, Spain.
Sir, – Alan Kelly will have to wake up and figure out the real impediment to growth in the public transport (Home News, December 12th). Had he read the national newspapers this week, he could not have failed to notice the issue of overcrowded trains. Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar’s reported response to a parliamentary question is to arrange for increased safety inspections of those trains.
Given a choice between a guaranteed seat in a car or being inspected for my safety while standing on overcrowded public transport, I will take the car. On the other hand, if given a choice between taking a car and using a clean and not overcrowded bus, train or Luas, I will use the public option, all other things being equal. My Leap card makes that option even more attractive.
Indeed, public representatives have in the past been happy to point out how popular public transport usage has been on the 46A bus corridor and Green Luas line, which serve areas the Minister might expect to find “middle class snobbishness”.
The real reason there is an impediment to using public transport is that what is offered is not meeting the needs of potential users. That assumes there are sufficient potential users in the first place. There is no point in haranguing those same potential users for failings elsewhere. – Yours, etc,
DFM DUFFY,
Holmwood,
Cabinteely, Dublin 18.