Fares and Votes
Page 41
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pOLITICS and transport could soon be resuming their traditional unwanted roles of battledore and shuttlecock. If reminder were needed, the recent altercation in the Commons on pensioners' concessionary fares is an indication of possible trends. The Government considers hard cash the pensioners' prime need. The Opposition demands more travel concessions for old people.
Whether this is by design or pressure of an election year, the effect of an extension of this concessionary trend would be immediately injurious and ultimately disastrous to transport efficiency. Travelwise, the demarcation between the essential, the convenient and purely pleasure transport is as variable as the personality of each and every elector. Potentially vote-catching concessions could ultimately lead to a literal free-for-all.
This result may well seem Utopia to some. But if universal free transport ever did materialize, the not-so-active would then subsidize the commuter—the reverse of where we came in.
Meanwhile, why pick on transport to do the subsidizing? The prime needs of existence—not least for pensioners—are food, clothing and shelter. Whatever may be done on a voluntary basis one hears little, if anything, about concessions on a national scale for these basic essentials. Moreover, in the associated industries, profit margins and the ability to carry the cost of any such concession are undoubtedly better than in transport.
This year, more than ever, it is necessary for the transport industry to provide not only the standard of service the nation requires but also to do everything in its power to ensure that the benefits of such a service are not squandered, however superficially appealing some of the proposals may be.