In the context of developing countries where government's are less keen at taking on burden of public transport system and the current directions are towards self sustaining (financially) public transport systems. Can the concept of "public transport for free" still hold true.
Best Regards
Talat Munshi
________________________________
From: Universities Transport Study Group on behalf of Wetzel Dave
Sent: Mon 21/08/2006 2:36 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [UTSG] Public transport should be free
Earlier, Dave Wetzel wrote:
> Similarly "free fares" in a Town or City will increase land values
Andrew Smith asked: "Out of interest, is there a citable source of evidence for that?"
From Prof Fred Foldvary, the Dept. of Economics at Santa Clara University in California.
"The practice of private communities provides some evidence.
For example, the retirement community of Rossmoor, California, provides a free shuttle within The community and to the Walnut Creek city downtown.
Hotels provide free shuttles to airports.
These private enterprises and communities would not do this if the service did not enhance the overal rentals
or assessments, providing more value than cost.
The city of Walnut Creek, California, provides a free bus route from the BART metro station to the downtown
area. The city officials evidently believe that this creates more value than its cost. (The other bus routes have user charges.)".
Reference:
Foldvary, Fred. "Streets as Private-Sector Public Goods." Street Smart: Competition, Entrepreneurship,
and the future of Roads. Edited by Gabriel Roth. Oakland, The Independent Institute, and New Brunswick:
Transaction Publishers, pp. 305-325, 2006.
Best Wishes,
Dave
Dave Wetzel
Vice-Chair TfL
Tel: 020 7126 4200
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