Why we don’t catch buses
The letters keep coming about our report that wealthier Adelaideans are shunning public transport in favour of solo car travel.
TOM CLARKE: I travel to work from Semaphore to Prospect. By car, this takes 25 minutes; by public transport it’s 90 minutes. And it’s only 14km.
Adelaide is not well served by suburb to suburb public transport. It only works if you go into the city and transfer.
VERONICA PHILLIPS: At the moment I drive part of the way solo to work as the Noarlunga trains are not running. If I used the substitute buses my journey to work time would increase to three hours per day plus the flow-on effects of a sore lower back and neck resulting from using these buses. The reason I drive solo is I need the flexibility to run errands on my way home and commence work when it is most convenient.
Due to traffic chaos during peak periods I leave at 5.50 every morning to make the 6.30am tram, arriving at work by 7am. Public transport generally takes too long and is not flexible to meet the demands on my time. By planning my travel times outside of peak times I have been able to cut down my travel time from three hours per day to 2.5 hours per day.
I will be using the train to come to work as then my travel time will be cut down to two hours per day. Only a faster train will improve this but I can’t see that happening any time in the future.
SHANE SODY: Scanning readers opinions’ on the public transport versus cars debate, I am stunned that no-one who responded seemed to have seriously considered the alternative.
Granted, a bicycle would not be the first or ideal choice for those carrying families to or from school or child care (although there are ‘cargo bike’ devotees who would beg to differ) but for most of us living within a reasonable distance of our work, it is a no-brainer.
Riding a bike to work is (1) cheaper; (2) quicker in peak periods; (3) more environmentally friendly; and (4) far better for your health than cars or public transport. With these four advantages, I cannot understand why so many people insist on using their metal exoskeletons.
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For those who doubt their fitness, you will find that after you commence riding, your definition of “a reasonable distance from work” will expand as rapidly as your waistline contracts.
STUART CLEMENT: It is very clear that the bus system is being run down to the point where there will be a reversion to public ownership of the system. We are just going through a stage in the public to private to public etc cycle.
This cycle has occurred in the past, usually on about a 25-year basis, and will happen again. I would wager that after the government buys back the bus service contracts over the next couple of years, about 25 years after that, the bus system will be let out for private operation again.
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