Free Bus Efficiency

The Gibraltar Women's Association are advocating free Bus travel in Gibraltar. A move that would of course help alleviate traffic congestion and parking problems and also be a step in the right direction environmentally.

However unfortunately they've qualify their thinking, saying that eligibility should be limited to local residents and verified by showing your ID card.

By continuing to have a paid system existing - albeit existing for a reduced number of people - we would continue to have the need for tickets, ticket machines, drivers to carry cash floats, and banking matters.

This means we'd get none of the benefits in efficiency that would come from going totally free, just a reduction in the number of people the payments system will be used by. Also, by having an identity check vs a payment, the speed of boarding doesn't improve.

Different routes will have different passenger make-up, but there are clearly three groups: Local residents, Non-resident locals (such as those who live in Spain but work in Gib), and tourists.

While only the residents will be tax payers, there are clear benefits from getting everyone on the bus - benefits for the whole of Gibraltar plc.

Either you have a subsidised bus service or you don't. However where we have chosen to limit our subsidy approach (at a mid point - either the present midpoint or the GWA proposal) is daft. To really enjoy the benefits, we must fully commit to the subsidised model.

Heathrow Airport offers a free fare zone in the immediate area - why? Because it recognises that making public buses free in the immediate (almost city-centre level hectic) area is the best way increase bus usage for people moving about the area and reduce congestion. The free services applies to everyone - staff, tourists, residents and all...

Unfortunatly in Gibraltar I expect all progress in the area to be protested by our militants-in-waiting - the Gibraltar Taxi Association. This time they must not be allowed to hold the wider interests of Gibraltar to ransom.

Their business is an A to B business. The Gibraltar Bus Company operates services from X to Z (via Y). It is the passengers job to get A>X and Y>B. This is not like for like business, no matter how much the GTA think they are the only people who are allowed to operate transport in Gibraltar.

I was going to post a link to the Gibraltar Bus Company website, but unfortunately they still haven't got anything on it (www.gibraltarbuscompany.gi). So please before you start ditch that domain and get www.bus.gi - it would be so much better.