Sir, – Conor Pope suggests making public transport free for everyone ("Five promises that wouldn't cost the earth to deliver after the general election", Pricewatch, January 27th).
I would anticipate that this might be deemed too costly by the keepers of the public purse, but can I propose a more modest measure which, I believe, would help alleviate traffic congestion in central Dublin?
On a visit to the Australian city of Melbourne a few years ago, I found that trams within the Central Business District (CBD) are free to use there.
One pays a fare only for travel outside the CBD – in other words, to or from the suburbs.
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A similar system here – say, free travel on all public transport within an area bounded north and south by the two canals, on its western extremity by St James’s Hospital, Heuston Station and Dalymount Park, and on the east by the sea – would make it so much easier to move around the city.
Dublin city centre might thus become again an attractive place for shopping and other business, and for tourists. – Yours, etc,
FELIX
M LARKIN,
Cabinteely,
Dublin 18.