Re: Cars make more economic sense than transit: fact

[Iskandar Baharuddin <brengsek@highway1.com.au>]

Forg wrote:
> 
> Iskandar Baharuddin wrote:
> ...
> > You do not need infinite resources. You need to supply the
> > resources people are prepared to pay for, and there is
> > definitely a limit to that!
> >
> > Once again you are focusing on the people who commute from the
> > suburbs to the CBD. This is a fraction of total work-related
> > travel.
> ...
> 
> It's a fairly large fraction, though!
> 
> But no, I was thinking about how those multilane inter-suburb roads
> around Sydney are so crowded, and how public transport for anything
> except into the city is basically crap. My point was you needed to make
> public transport on these journeys more attractive than driving for a
> lot more people.
> 
> If I could offer you a form of transport that was clean, 10% slower than
> driving, 30% cheaper, very close to as comfortable, and which got you
> there in just as clean a condition, you would probably go for that form
> of transport over driving; and save the car for the weekend. 

I presume you accept major credit cards. Can I sign up over the
Net?

> Problem is
> that just doesn't exist, at least in Sydney, unless you want to go to
> the CBD (and don't travel in peak hour).

How true it is - and it will never exist. The travel pattern is
far too diverse.

If you want cheap, fast, frequent, profitable and hideously
uncomfortable public transport, try Jakarta. Population density
is the key.

> 
> ...
> > The solution to the CBD problem is quite simple: a fee on car
> > parking spaces set at a level to achieve equilibrium between
> > supply and demand for private car transport.
> ...
> 
> Compared to public transport, very few people drive into the CBD of
> Sydney, to work. I'd suggest this equilibrium is pretty-much there.
> 

Good, if true. We are far from it in Perth.

However, I suspect you will find that a very large number need
their cars during the day.

I retired from a professional practice with a large office in
North Sydney, near the station. Some of the secretaries rode the
train. I do not know of even one of the 90+ professionals who
could afford to leave the car at home.

Now if you are talking about right-down-town Sydney you may be
right. But how much of the total commuter traffic is this?

-- 
Regards,

Izzy

"Stop the world - I want to get off!"