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Eco123 Revista da Economia e Ecologia
José Garrancho – No
Should the use of public transport – the metro, trains, buses – be increased? It is obvious that the answer is yes, to fill up the 78% of seats that are still empty and reduce the use of cars, with a subsequent reduction in urban pollution and fuel consumption. But free of charge, as some people argue? Never! Firstly, because states never give things away for free. All the benefits we get are paid for by our taxes. And so, if we don’t pay in one way, we’ll pay in another. And secondly, because the Portuguese take everything that’s free, whether they need it or not. And because they are not paying, they ruin it. The aim will not be to transform public transport into free vehicles for tourists, but rather into an efficient means for people to get around, to get to work, to study, or for any other necessity. The wish to increase the use of public transport without making it free may seem paradoxical. But it’s not. However, the measure will only be successful if the fares are reasonable and affordable by all, with proper social support for the least well-off. And if it is accompanied by other measures whose aim is to make it more difficult and expensive to use your own vehicle in the cities, in order to encourage motorists to swap their car for a pleasant, relaxing and stress-free trip, albeit stripped of one of their biggest status symbols. It will not be a measure with immediate results, because it is not easy to change people’s mentality. But it is both possible and necessary!
Hugo F. Lopes – Yes
I am not opposed to the use of cars, because I have one which I use when circumstances oblige me to; but whenever it is remotely possible, I travel by bike. According to the statistics, cars in Portugal are used mainly for distances of less than five kilometres. The bicycle is not, and should not be, the sole alternative to the car, and certainly the most democratic would be public transport, which unfortunately is within reach of fewer and fewer people. In the same way that I believe that essential items like education and health should be free, I would also argue that public transport should be free. In fact, the word “free” is misleading, because everything that comes under this category was paid for already through taxation. And so, using the same argument, the management of these companies should be the responsibility of one central public body, as happens in the city of Tallinn in Estonia. Obviously, this change should not occur in an isolated manner. Measures need to be taken to make it more difficult for private motor vehicles to be driven in city centres, and car parks should be created in specific parts of the surrounding area to assist users with specific needs. In parallel, public transport routes and timetables need to be improved substantially, as should their funding which could come from sources such as motorway tolls, or a tax on the profits of oil companies. This key change in mobility would not only have positive effects on the environment and quality of life, it could also reduce municipal costs and benefit less well-off citizens. And it would certainly contribute to turning public areas into something that really belongs to the people.
