Free public transport.
Utopian dream?
Or reasonable equality initiative?
Prices of public transport tickets have risen.
This has had negative effects on city dwellers' lives!
For example, up to 80 % of fines for ticketless travel are sent to external agencies for collection, causing further distress to low income passengers.
This way of organizing public transport has little to do with making it more attractive.
The city of Helsinki has environmental goals.
Increasing public transport use would help achieve these.
Accessible public transport is also a basic right, especially when local services are being shut down and moved to larger units further away from people's homes.
Public transport is also the undeniable winner when it comes to moving large crowds.
In other words, it is a must for enabling amazing culture and sports events.
To sum up, public transport is a friend of the environment, people and city life in general.
It is for this reason that we need to work towards supporting it!
But if public transport is that important, why is it still not free?
Because we haven't been bold enough!
Alright, let's start changing direction towards free public transport then!
But where will be find the money?
Step-by-step, by shifting away from right wing politics that focus on supporting private car use by building for example expensive tunnels and gigantic parking structures.
But if one can just step on to public transport without paying, everyone will start using it!
Exactly!
A win-win-win situation if there was ever one!
And in this way, we can make a better city possible for everyone, and not just a few!
Free public transport. Utopian dream? Or reasonable equality initiative?
