Memorandum by Mrs Susan Petch (RT 02)
As your Committee is carrying out an enquiry
into Light Rapid Transit Systems I would like to send you my comments.
I am an ordinary member of the public who lives in a busy city
and uses public transport to get to the centre of town. Now, the
system we have of buses that are unreliable and get stuck in traffic
jams is not the best of public transport. I (and my family) have
been to many towns and cities of Europe where they have Light
Rapid Transit Systems and each one has been such a pleasure to
ride on.
These are the advantages of Light Rapid Transit
Systems:
1. Wherever possible they run on their own
segregated tracks away from the road so that they do not get caught
up in any traffic jams.
2. They get from A to B in the quickest possible
time.
3. Low floors are advantageous to the disabled
and parents with pushchairs.
4. No pollution as they run on electricity.
5. People have faith in these systems and
the morale of the drivers is very good.
6. I have never been disappointed with the
service of any of the LRTS and this includes Manchester and Sheffield.
PROBLEMS
We in Britain have the problem of having to
"start again" with public transport in built up areas
because we did away with trams after the Second World War. Those
European cities that kept them going are now laughing and all
they need to do is to upgrade their existing systems.
If systems are to be considered then it has
to start from scratch. This of course is a massive major project
that needs to incorporate not only the town/city but its suburbs.
It is not worth doing just a bit of LRTS.
THE WAY
FORWARD
LRTS to me is the only way forward to ease the
congestion on our roads and at the same time giving the public
a wonderful choice of mode of transport. In fact, LRTS is shear
luxury to us whereas it is something those living in so many towns
in Europe (including those of eastern Europe) take for granted.
I know that we in Britain deserve better public transport.
We CANNOT keep on promoting the car as the only
way to travel.
People will just not get out of their cars unless
there is a REAL alternative. Perhaps you will have to wait and
see the difference the Midland Metro has made and Croydon's new
system.
We cannot have the stick before the carrot!
I am quite prepared to pay extra tax if I knew it was going to
give a LRTS in my home town.
23 September 1999
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