Wednesday 19th August 2015
When it comes to commuting, travelling abroad and family holidays, the question can often arise about how to reach your destination. In this article, we look into the positives and negatives of public and private transport.
Cost
Although sometimes disputed, if planned properly, public transport can be significantly cheaper than driving. Advanced and season tickets can allow you to get the best price possible. The Trainline advises cheaper tickets become available 12 weeks prior to the date of travel- but you’ll need to be quick! If you have a last minute trip planned, it can be hit or miss and train and bus journeys can become extremely costly.
Green
Pollution, global warming, the ozone layer; all topics that feature consistently in headlines. Using public transport means one less car on the road and if you are commuting or planning a city trip, this can be the most practical and ‘green’ way to get around.
Parking
We are all familiar with ever- circling car parks searching for available spaces accompanied by gestures and mouthing of “are you leaving?”. After forking out for a parking ticket, we then face the imminent threat of a hefty fine from the watching park attendants should we overrun from the allotted parking time. With public transport, this stress is avoided.
Noisy
Picture the scenario, a stressful day in the office followed by getting onto a hot, noisy bus or train back home. Children screaming, music playing, no air conditioning….not very relaxing to say the least!
Personal space
“There’s nowt so queer as folk”. Whether travelling on a bus, the underground, tram or train; you are bound to spot people of interest. Whether they have an interesting dress sense, odd piercings or worse, an unpleasant smell, public transport can be far from glamorous.
Cost
Regularly in the headlines, Britain is noted as having the highest public transport costs in Europe which seem to be increasingly rising! With regular delays and unreliable timings, it is easy to see why many people have lost trust in public transport.
Private
……can you hear that? That is the sound of whatever you want it to be. Peace and quiet, the radio, your favourite music; private transport means the choice is all yours! Add air conditioning for hot days or the heater for the winter and it is easy to see why so many people chose to avoid public transport.
Non- reliant on others
Travelling via private transport allows you to avoid untimely buses and regular train delays to come and go as you require whether it be for work or leisure. When travelling can be such a large part of the day, it’s nice to be able to do so independently.
Transporting goods
Doing the food shop, collecting garden supplies or even going on holiday. The extra obstacle of transporting heavy items via public transport can be incredibly stressful explaining why where possible people chose to travel by car.
Fuel costs
Travelling in comfort often comes at a large price. After calculating fuel prices, costs of insurance, tax and that looming MOT must also be factored in. This can make travelling extremely costly and for the likes of a daily commute, the price can soar.
Congestion
In all built up areas, congestion is a familiar site and one that can be incredibly problematic and frustrating, especially for those with time constraints. The likes of roadworks and accidents are known to bring traffic to a complete standstill.
Environmental effect
According to statistics, a typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.7 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. On a weekly basis, we are presented with facts showing that our use of fossil fuels is increasingly damaging our planet.
When many of us however, do not have a choice in using a car, it is refreshing to see the development in hybrid and electric vehicles.
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