How to solve the "last mile" problem in traffic

[Zoe]

Here's a tip; find something better to do than just putting in random details into an insurance policy checker - there are far too many parameters and you're not going to come up with something that is relevant to anyone else.

Let's get back to the topic of conversation in this thread?

The point here though is that it's likely the cost of running a car will simply be too expensive in the future so public transport improvements have to be made now. As I say "the last mile" is the area where currently public transport is not as convenient as the car and so people need to be planning now.

 

[jon0844]

And I'm saying that a car may not be much more expensive in the future - we just may need to downsize or invest in new technology that is greener, and more efficient.

I've given an example of how Herts County Council is being fairly sensible about its policy, but to go the 'extra mile' it really needs full control of the buses - and to run all of them under contract. Why should the tax payer fund the late night services, and many weekend operations, when the bus operator makes loads of profit during the day - especially given that without those late night services, they'd be losing custom in the day!

That's something that could be fixed relatively quickly if someone actually put their mind to it. Bus contracts are usually for 5 years or less, so it wouldn't be impossible to seek to change things quite quickly.

 

[starrymarkb]

Exmouth Station has an interesting solultion (though the anti-car lot will hate it)

The carpark now has a charge of ~£5 peak and ~£4 off peak per day. However two tickets are printed, one to display in your car and the other is a voucher to exchange in the ticket office/on train for a day return to Exeter (or put towards a more expensive ticket beyond Exeter).

So they accept that people will drive to the station and then get the train onwards from there. The town isn't big enough to justify an intensive bus service with most town routes being hourly (train is every 30 mins)

 

[jon0844]

That's a great idea. It isn't actually that bad to drive to the station, even if it's a relatively short distance, if you're then using a train instead of the car all the way. If you buy a small, fuel efficient, car then it's hardly going to do much harm to the environment.

My problem is that station car parks are so small that you end up getting parking dents, but that's another thread for another time.

 

[Deerfold]

That's a great idea. It isn't actually that bad to drive to the station, even if it's a relatively short distance, if you're then using a train instead of the car all the way. If you buy a small, fuel efficient, car then it's hardly going to do much harm to the environment.

My problem is that station car parks are so small that you end up getting parking dents, but that's another thread for another time.

And if you're serious about encouraging train use most car parks can contain only a tiny fraction of the number of people who travel from that station every day.

You're still stuck if you want to be away for more than a day at many stations.

 

[starrymarkb]

It helps a bit though. There is a Council Long Stay next to the station for longer term periods. On the other side of the station is the bus station (which isn't that well served unfortunatly as the exit route for buses means going right round the block - it is possible to see a bus leaving the bus station and leg it to Rolle street/The Parade in time to catch the same bus! Hence though buses skip it.)

 

[Zoe]

It helps a bit though. There is a Council Long Stay next to the station for longer term periods. On the other side of the station is the bus station (which isn't that well served unfortunatly as the exit route for buses means going right round the block - it is possible to see a bus leaving the bus station and leg it to Rolle street/The Parade in time to catch the same bus! Hence though buses skip it.)

This may well be useful for people going to Exeter as the train service is good and Exeter is often quite congested so you could get there quicker by train. I'm not sure you'd get that much of a modal shift for longer journeys though. If people have quite a bit of luggage with them they may just prefer to drive all the way and not just use the car for the last mile.

 

[jon0844]

And if you're serious about encouraging train use most car parks can contain only a tiny fraction of the number of people who travel from that station every day.

You're still stuck if you want to be away for more than a day at many stations.

My station allows me to pay by text. To stay an extra day means paying the full peak rate (which has shot up since FCC took over in 2006 - from £3.50 to nearly £7). If I needed to stay somewhere for another day, I can text to add another day without worrying about getting a ticket.

I'm all for building new car parks at stations, as they did at St Albans, but it's no good charging people over £1,000 per annum for a space as it will either make people decide to simply drive all the way, or look to park on nearby side roads - which can become increasingly difficult with parking restrictions and permits.

I have a good bus route, so I won't drive now - besides weekends when parking in a nearby car park is totally free - but there will never be buses running for people who live further away, especially in rural locations. Unless there were subsidised taxis, I can't see anything replacing the car - but that means fair parking charges and good security for those parked cars.

 

[stut]

Unless there were subsidised taxis

Or taxi-sharing schemes. There are large, popular villages whose inhabitants all make good use of my local station, but the bus service is of no use.

Of course, it's hardly in the taxi firms' interest to encourage these, so they won't happen.

 

[exile]

Getting back to the original problem..... is it really a problem? How many people are physically incapable of walking a mile to and from a public transport stop? Given the epidemic of obesity related diseases maybe people should try using their legs.

There are a few times when a walk home isn't attractive - late at night, bad weather. Some sort of subsidised taxi scheme might be the answer here, especially if this is used as a substitute for little used bus services.

 

[tbtc]

Getting back to the original problem..... is it really a problem? How many people are physically incapable of walking a mile to and from a public transport stop? Given the epidemic of obesity related diseases maybe people should try using their legs.

There are a few times when a walk home isn't attractive - late at night, bad weather. Some sort of subsidised taxi scheme might be the answer here, especially if this is used as a substitute for little used bus services.

It shouldn't be that physically difficult for people, but the small obstacle of walking to the end of your street is a big obstacle to a significant number of people.

Then again, we live in a world where people buy baked beans in plastic tubs because you save a few second when microwaving them (compared to spooning some from a tin), people are lazy and getting lazier...

 

[exile]

I used to walk over 3 miles home from school if I missed the bus (which I usually did on Thursdays as the games master wouldn't let us off the pitch until bell time - the so-and-so!).