Vote totals:
Yes:
50%
No:
25%
Neutral:
25%
DEBATE: YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD BE GIVEN FREE BUS TRAVEL
YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD BE GIVEN FREE BUS TRAVEL
It would encourage the use of greener public transport
Public transport is greener than everyone relying on cars. Emissions, if cars are taken off the road, are reduced, and these are reduced further if buses use eco-friendly fuels. Despite this, many young people do not use public transport, preferring instead to cadge lifts off others, or drive their own car. With the numbers of cars on the road rapidly increasing, this is unsustainable. By making bus transport free for young people, they would be more inclined to use buses because they do not have to pay car tax, insurance, rising petrol costs, maintenance costs etc. and this would reduce carbon emissions.
YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD BE GIVEN FREE BUS TRAVEL
Young people can be trusted.
The recent media coverage of this topic has dwelled on the fact that some young people are anti-social on buses. It is very important to note that this is a distinct minority. In addition, adults have contacted the news stations saying that they feel intimidated when there are groups of young people on a bus; is it not possible that a young person feels just as intimidated when there are groups of rowdy older men on a bus? It is a sad fact that there are young people who will abuse their right to use a bus, but with proper safeguards on the system, if a person abuses their right they will lose their right to use the bus. We must not victimise all young people and remove their privileges because a select few abuse theirs.
This debate does not deal with the issue as to whether young people should be allowed on buses at all, only whether they should be allowed to travel for free. Free travel would not necessarily mean young people travel on buses more, only that they would be travelling for free. If people are going to be antisocial they will do that regardless of what price they paid for their ticket.
YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD BE GIVEN FREE BUS TRAVEL
It would remove cars from the road, decreasing congestion and accidents.
I have already touched upon this in my first point on greener public transport. Every two minutes, someone passes their driving test with BSM, and many more people pass with other driving schools. The numbers of cars on the roads are increasing rapidly, and with that comes an increase in congestion. In a few years time, our roads will be at gridlock. By encouraging young people to use public transport, they will become less reliant on cars because of the costs associated with them. This can only have a beneficial effect on congestion. Furthermore, one quarter of drivers who die in road accidents is under the age of 25, but drivers under the age of 25 only make up an eighth of the drivers on the road. Removing drivers, who are at an age where they are more likely to crash and cause fatalities, from the road will reduce the number of car crashes and fatal accidents in this country. Making bus travel free will have this effect.
Giving young people free bus travel will not remove cars from the roads. Already, many young people dislike bus travel. Young people seek the independence that having their own car brings, and so free bus travel would not reduce the numbers of cars on the road. Furthermore, the main reason why young people have crashes is because of a lack of driving experience, and not because they are immature. Free bus travel would not reduce the number of fatalities, because when the person does eventually learn to drive, they will still have as little experience and still be as likely to crash.
YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD BE GIVEN FREE BUS TRAVEL
It would raise the prices of bus tickets for everyone else
Bus companies should not be run to make a profit – what happened to the concept of a transport service, remember when we were passengers, not customers? The purpose of a public transport system is to benefit the public – not to benefit shareholders.
Running a bus is an expensive business. It requires fuel, tax and maintenance. The drivers and bus maintenance crew have to be paid. If, suddenly, a large section of society is offered free bus travel, profits for the bus companies will fall, and bus companies will push up the prices of tickets for everyone else to compensate. This would not promote public transport as a green alternative to driving, but have the opposite effect: it would drive people away from the buses and back into their cars. Making bus travel free for all young people would therefore have a detrimental effect.
Instead, why not invest the same money in lowering the prices slightly for everyone? Young people tend not to have cars so it isn’t the case that if they can’t afford the bus they will drive whereas it is with an older age group such as commuters. Lowering the bus prices for them could make a big difference, encouraging the use of buses and helping the environment.
Also, yes, there was a time when we were passengers, not cutomers, but then national transport systems were privatised. They are owned by private companies such as Stagecoach looking to make a profit (while using unfair trade practices to drive other bus companies out of busines) and so now, undoubtedly, we are customers, whether you like it or not.
