Brisbane Times- permanent public transport section?

[#Metro]

Brisbane Times has a opinion survey going. At the end they ask whether you would recommend the site to others yes/no.
I wrote that they should add a Public/Sustainable transport section to their environment section in the paper. Currently is just has 'Whale watch, conservation, water and all that, which is all great, but heaps of energy, costs and emissions comes from cars and travel!

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment
https://surveys.fairfax.com.au/opinio/s?s=47316 <---- survey

[#Metro]

Some other things from Bt:

But, as the Australia Institute's Richard Denniss and Andrew Macintosh point out in a paper to be released today, imposing a price on carbon emissions won't solve the problems most of the affected climate programs were intended to tackle.

For instance, the cash-for-clunkers scheme and the Green Car Innovation Fund are designed to reduce emissions from cars. But the government's former emissions trading scheme specifically excluded petrol, and there's been no suggestion the new arrangements will include it.

But that's not to say she shouldn't be cutting back or getting rid of those particular measures. Most of them would be no loss. The cash-for-clunkers scheme is a hugely expensive way of encouraging a modest reduction in emissions. The green car fund is just a disguise for giving further help to car makers.

And if Gillard is looking for cost savings to help pay for flood damage, she should start by getting rid of programs that actually subsidise the use of fossil fuels: the concessional taxation of company cars, the exemption from fuel excise for aircraft and natural gas and certain other tax concessions. Getting rid of those would not only help reduce emissions, it would save the budget more than $4 billion a year.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/politics/carbon-price-is-no-fixall-20110208-1alk4.html

Backdoor subsidies  are in full operation...

[Stillwater]

To use one of Ozbob's favourite terms, getting rid of fringe benefits tax concessions on cars that form part of a salary package is a 'no-brainer'.  Maybe FBT concessions could apply to employer-provided go-cards charged with $2000, or topped up progressively over a year to a capped amount agreed with the employee.

http://www.ato.gov.au/businesses/pathway.asp?pc=001/003/027

[#Metro]

http://www.transitpass.ca/

This is what canada is doing.

Protect the environment and save more money with public transit!

Increasing your use of public transit will help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in our cities. Since July 1, 2006, the Government of Canada is encouraging Canadians to use public transit with a tax credit to help cover the cost of public transit. The tax credit is applicable for buses, streetcars, subways, commuter trains and local ferries.
Find out now about the tax credit for public transit.

Now, at first glance, I would rather level the field by removing the car subsidies than adding more subsidies to PT.

[somebody]

Now, at first glance, I would rather level the field by removing the car subsidies than adding more subsidies to PT.

I'd agree with that.  PT is plenty subsidised already, but car transport is also subsidised.  Reduce the latter, and you also get to reduce the former.

[#Metro]

http://chartingtransport.wordpress.com/2010/04/22/traffic-volumes-on-australian-toll-roads/
by Chris Loader

Look at the images:


If you want traffic (induced!) don't put a toll on it. Zero toll and you will have traffic (might suggest that
congestion charging might be part of the mix in the future).

Clem 7



Look how far off the forecasts are (the red dots) 90 000! Which is close to what the Gateway Motorway is carrying.