Modal shift from cars to buses or trams and the difference in perception between these modes

[TBirdFrank]

I live little more than eight miles from Manchester town hall alongside the sad remains of Britain's first electric main line. Our first bus is at 08.50, our last at 16.20. The railway station is a half hour walk and I have free transport on my bus pass and nationally on my rail facilities.

I drive possibly 25,000 miles a year because as long as I can afford it I haven't got the time to waste using public transport, and most certainly I am not going to drive over six miles to the nearest Metrolink stop.

Please persuade me to change my habits.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Are you retired? My Dad was always someone who wouldn't be seen dead on a bus, but now him and my Mum are retired and they have all the time in the world they use it more often than not.

 

[Dentonian]

I live little more than eight miles from Manchester town hall alongside the sad remains of Britain's first electric main line. Our first bus is at 08.50, our last at 16.20. The railway station is a half hour walk and I have free transport on my bus pass and nationally on my rail facilities.

I drive possibly 25,000 miles a year because as long as I can afford it I haven't got the time to waste using public transport, and most certainly I am not going to drive over six miles to the nearest Metrolink stop.

Please persuade me to change my habits.

As you might guess from my other comments, I'm not a big rail expert, so I'm curious as to where Britain's first electric main line was. According to wikipedia it as the London-Brighton line. Your distances from both heavy and light rail are pretty average for GM, even if your very limited bus service isn't - presumably tendered.

In all honesty, you probably aren't top of the "hit list" for changing habits - albeit driving 25,000 miles a year won't sit well with the green lobby - its those who have/will have practical alternatives.

 

[TBirdFrank]

Britain's First All Electric Main Line - so said the 1954 poster for the Woodhead Route picturing a Bo Bo alongside Crowden reservoir.

 

[judethegreat]

That is possible but would be very costly and disruptive to the UK economy, because hauliers able to operate across Europe would not be able to operate in the UK unless their vehicles met a higher minimum standard. If it is seen as a non-tariff barrier to trade it also invites reciprocal action.

Could just the trailers be carried on the ferries/trains, with UK tractor units picking them up on this side?

 

[yorksrob]

Britain's First All Electric Main Line - so said the 1954 poster for the Woodhead Route picturing a Bo Bo alongside Crowden reservoir.

True, in so far as the Brighton line still had the odd steam or diesel train along it.

 

[Dentonian]

Britain's First All Electric Main Line - so said the 1954 poster for the Woodhead Route picturing a Bo Bo alongside Crowden reservoir.

I'm guessing you must be in the Glossop area, although "8 miles from Manchester Town Hall" must be a "crow flies" measurement, not via the A57 side street (as the Highways Agency view it)

 

[edwin_m]

Could just the trailers be carried on the ferries/trains, with UK tractor units picking them up on this side?

That would reduce the height requirement a bit by the use of wagons with dropped floors or pockets for the wheels instead of a level floor for driving over. But it still wouldn't allow all types of trailer within the UK loading gauge.

It would also make the loading/unloading a lot slower. With the tractors attached a convoy can just drive on to one end of the train and off again at the other end. Without tractors the trailers would have to be lifted one by one, and the haulier would have to provide a new tractor and driver to meet the trailer at the other end. If that doesn't happen immediately then the trailers need to be stored somewhere, taking up much more space than containers as they can't be stacked.