Rally 4 Free Public Transport! Planet B4 Profits!

Rally 4 Free Public Transport! Planet B4 Profits!

Having free, frequent and accessible public transport will increase the amount of people using it and we already spend way more money than we would need to do it on stupid things like locking up refugees (we're still the only 1st world country that does that), invading Iraq & Afghanistan and supporting the 'War on Terror' or just giving it to big business. Just 2% of the $6 billion energy & transport subsidies for big business could replace Adelaide Metro’s fare revenue for an entire year.

Protest 2pm Sat Oct 30 @ Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide.

Download a PDF of the above leaflet in A4 or A6 and start getting the word out!

Plus, join our Facebook event

Free Public Transport -- to fight hypocrisy!

NOw if public transport was free, would more people use it? The government should make it free to cut down on pollution and accidents.

For us, with 5 children it costs more to use PT than it does to drive. I think that's rididculous.

Sure the money they make from it will be lost, but so what? We are supposed to be 'saving the world' with all these meetings and crap they do that never seem to reach conclusions and I'm sure cost a fortune to set up and attend.

I am so sick of people driving their petrol fueled cars to electricity sucking shopping centres and buying over packaged, over processed items and then saying 'Oh, no' to a plastic bag like they're doing their bit. It's hypocritical and quite frankly hilarious.

People won't give up their cars, they won't give up all the convenience and ease, we all waste and use and moan about pollution and global warming. But there is just never a big big effort made, a big step forward. Like making PT free or restricitng car use, offering incentives for those who use their cars little. PSAs about car use, the dangers of overcrowded roads and pollution.

Oh well, we will continue on our hypocritical ways forever I am sure, I often wonder how the world will be when fossil fules run out, I imagine it will be a nicer place! autumntree on essentialbaby forum

Govt plans to divert solar money to auto subsidy

If re-elected, the Government says it will offer owners of pre-1995 vehicles a $2,000 rebate for upgrading to more fuel efficient cars.

But solar energy advocates, the Greens and the Coalition have slammed the proposal, as more than half of the funding for it will be taken from the Government's solar infrastructure program. ABC

Humans extinct in 100 years - Frank Fenner

Fenner said that climate change is only at its beginning, but is likely to be the cause of our extinction. “We’ll undergo the same fate as the people on Easter Island,” he said. More people means fewer resources, and Fenner predicts “there will be a lot more wars over food.”
Easter Island is famous for its massive stone statues. Polynesian people settled there, in what was then a pristine tropical island, around the middle of the first millennium AD. The population grew slowly at first and then exploded. As the population grew the forests were wiped out and all the tree animals became extinct, both with devastating consequences. After about 1600 the civilization began to collapse, and had virtually disappeared by the mid-19th century. Evolutionary biologist Jared Diamond said the parallels between what happened on Easter Island and what is occurring today on the planet as a whole are “chillingly obvious.”
The Tech Journal

When you are in a hole --- Stop digging!

Oz turns to oceans for drinking water | World | News | Toronto Sun: "By 2012, when the last plant is scheduled to be up and running, Australia's big cities will get 30% of their water from the oceans, The New York Times reported Sunday.

The government says Australia's latest decade-long drought was largely caused by climate change and one official called the $13-billion desalination programme 'the cost of adapting to climate change.'
But critics of the massive infrastructure scheme say desalination will increase climate change because of the large quantities of energy it requires and other, cheaper measures — such as stricter conservation, a better grid supply system and even more efficient washing machines — can easily make Australia's existing water supplies stretch farther."

Lifehacker’s Free Public Transport Guide, 2010 Edition

By Angus Kidman on July 5, 2010 at 11:30 AM


Public transport is generally cheaper than jumping in a car, but in capital cities, you can often get around the CBD without paying at all. Here’s the options for free buses and trams across Australia’s major cities.

Free bus services are often designed to appeal to tourists, which explains why they’re largely found in the middle of major cities. However, whether you’re a visitor to town or a seasoned local, they can be a useful option for getting around, especially in inclement weather. The main restriction is that many don’t operate outside of standard business hours; if you’re looking for a late night solution, you’re going to end up paying almost everywhere (except Adelaide and Perth).

We published a similar guide last year; we’ve updated this one to incorporate reader comments and new options. Combined with our airport transfers guide, you can enjoy a visit to any of Australia’s major cities at minimal fiscal and environmental cost. Click on the links for access to the relevant timetables and route information.
Sydney

The 555 bus runs in a loop in both directions between Circular Quay and Central Station. The frequency is pretty good — once every 10 minutes. On weekdays, it runs from 9:30am to 3:30pm (extended to 9:00pm on Thursdays). On weekends, it operates from 9:30am to 6:00pm.
Melbourne

The City Circle Tram is Melbourne’s most visible free option, running every 12 minutes around the outer edge of the Melbourne CBD (both clockwise and anti-clockwise). It runs between 10:00am and 6:00pm Sunday to Wednesday, and 10:00am to 9:00pm Thursday to Saturday. The City Tourist Shuttle bus offers more access to tourist destinations, but is less frequent and slower. It runs every 30 minutes, takes 90 minutes to do a full loop, and operates between 9:30am and 4:30pm daily.
Brisbane

Brisbane offers two loop buses, one for CBD covering the main area of the city and one for Spring Hill. The CBD loop runs 07:00am to 6:00pm , with departures every 15 minutes. Spring Hill runs from 08:16am to 6:00pm, with departures every 10 minutes. Annoyingly, neither service runs on weekends or public holidays.
Perth

Perth remains the champion city for free public transport, with three free loop buses as well as free use of all transit services (trains and buses) within the CBD area bounded by City West and Claisebrook. There’s a map of the Free Transit Zone and a slightly onerous list of conditions on the Transperth site.

If you’re worried about overstepping the boundaries with that option, there are also three free CAT bus services which operate entirely within the free CBD area: the east-west Red and Yellow services, and the North-South Blue service. Services generally operate from around 07:00am to 06:00pm on weekdays, with frequencies of roughly once every seven minutes. Weekends have later starting times and lower frequencies. As well, there are free CAT buses which operate in Freemantle and Joondalup (though the latter don’t run on weekends). Full details for all the services are on the CAT information page
Adelaide

The iconic Glenelg tram is free between North and South Terrace within the city, and along Jetty Road within Glenelg. It runs every 7 or so minutes between 8:00am and 6:00pm Monday to Friday, every 15 minutes between 09:00am and 6:00pm Saturdays and Sundays, and every 20 minutes at other times.

If you’d prefer a bus, the 99C runs a loop across the northern half of the CBD from 08:00am to 09:00pm, with services every 15 minutes until 06:00pm and additional services on Friday nights. Weekend services run every 30 minutes. Adelaide City Council operates the Adelaide Connector service, which covers a wider area (incorporating North Adelaide as well) but with only one bus an hour.
Newcastle

The Fare Free Bus scheme allows free travel on any government bus between 07:30am and 6:00pm every day.

Know of a free transport option we’ve missed? Share it in the comments.

Lifehacker Australia editor Angus Kidman will always take the free bus, thanks. His Road Worrier column, looking at technology and organising tips for travellers, appears each week on Lifehacker.

lifehacker.com.au

Free transport and electricity until December.

Free transport and electricity until December.: "The Ministry of Finance expects to make a final decision regarding the provision of permanent free public transport before the end of this year."

Expand Free Transit Zone - not free car parks

We need new public transport initiatives for sustainability and to revitalise our city (Fremantle)

The June 12 Herald newsclips briefly reported on council's decision to explore the possibility of making the whole city a Free Transit Zone. It's worth explaining the thinking behind this.

Everyone agrees that we need to revitalise the heart of Freo and make it a real hub of commercial, social and community life. However we are never going to be able to do this by offering the acres of free parking you find at Garden City. Instead we need to improve public transport and cycling facilities and services.

The problem with the FreoStar was that it was simply too infrequent to be a viable option for the majority of people in the areas it served. Council will never have the resources to be a serious stand alone public transport operator. This is the responsibility of the state government.

However what council can and should do is seek to build on and facilitate better Transperth services. Already we are identifying and prioritising light rail transit corridors in an effort to encourage the state government to commit to a really serious step up in public transport for our region.

The idea with the Free Transit Zone is that all residents in the city be issued with a Transperth 'SmartRider' card programmed to allow free travel within the city. You'd hope this would stimulate more bus travel and in turn the demand for Transperth to improve its services, particularly to our poorly served suburbs such as Samson.

Unlike subsidising services to only particular suburbs, a Free Transit Zone would be a more equitable way for council to spend the money. If for whatever reason this is not possible, new CAT services to suburbs not serviced by the existing routes might also be an option.

Sam Wainwright, Socialist councillor,
Fremantle.
www.freoreport.net

Empire strikes back -- kills free transport plan

'They'd clog up public transport'
CHALPAT SONTI
June 18, 2010 - 6:47AM
A Liberal Party election promise for free round-the-clock public transport for seniors and the disabled has been shelved, with Premier Colin Barnett saying it would be environmentally unwise.

The government rolled out an off-peak scheme after being elected, which has seen about 7 million trips taken in the first year of operation.... WA Today

Free bus travel on Sundays

PASSENGERS can now travel free on Bendigo Transit buses on the first Sunday of each month throughout winter.

State Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula said the Car-less Sunday promotion allowed bus users to trial the network, something he hopes they will continue to use after the promotional period.

“Buses provide an essential transport service in Bendigo, providing crucial access to work, school, recreational facilities, healthcare services and retailers,’’ Mr Pakula said.

“There are some two million passenger trips on the Bendigo Transit network each year and we need to ensure we provide bus services that cater to passenger needs.’’

Car-less Sunday is a feature of the Bendigo City Centre TravelSmart Travel Plan, which aims to reduce the number of single-occupant car trips, increase the number of active travel trips and reinforce the city centre as a place to work, shop and visit Bendigo residents and visitors will receive free local bus travel on the first Sunday of the month until November, and on each Sunday in December.

Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan said the government had continued to invest in the bus network with 692 weekly services added in the past two years.

”This was the biggest bus service improvement delivered to Bendigo in more than 15 years and is servicing the outer growth areas of Bendigo as well as existing suburbs and the central retail precinct,’’ the member for Bendigo East, Jacinta Allan, said.

“These improvements have resulted in an increase in patronage of 20 per cent, a clear endorsement of the Bendigo Transit system.’’ Mr Pakula said the growth in patronage of the Bendigo bus network would be monitored regularly.

“We’re constantly monitoring how well those services are running and seeing if they can be finetuned,’’ he said.

“That includes reassessing timetables and connections with trains and initiating discussions about service needs.’’

Bendigo Advertiser 14 June 2010