[Gllug] [OT] Times Article on ABD was Fighting a virus

[Jason Clifford]

On Mon, 19 Feb 2007, Mike Brodbelt wrote:

> >> Really? You can't afford £3/day - the cost of a one day bus pass on 
> >> pay-as-you-go oyster? I reckon you'd pay more than that for parking alone.
> > 
> > Not to mention the daily congestion charge.  Hey - even car insurance
> > (say £600/year) is £2/day.
> 
> Don't forget systems like streetcar - not everyone who drives owns a car
> these days, especially in London. Vehicle ownership is expensive, when
> you consider road tax, insurance, maintenance, MOT testing, fuel and
> depreciation. That's not quite the same as driving being an expensive
> form of transport though.

If you live outside the centre of town vehicle ownership is far cheaper.

My car cost be £580 2 years ago. It has cost another £400 in repairs and 
£2000 in fuel costs. Insurance was £280 the first year and £250 this year 
and tax is £165.

That's a total over 2 years of £3675.00 over 2 years or £153.13 per month.

I live just outside London (right on the edge of zone 6). The cost of a 
monthly travelcard covering zones 1-6 (yes, I do regularly drive all the 
way into zone 1) is £165.00. 

I've already saved money by driving and this doesn't even take into
account the journeys I make outside London - the above costs I list for my
car includes about 15 short holiday trips such as weekends to the coast.

The car also means I can carry equipment, heavy shopping, etc and I am not 
limited to travelling during the hours of operation of public transport. I 
also don't spend hours waiting for buses or trains.

I'm not opposed to public transport. I use it when appropriate.

What I do oppose however are rediculous claims that car ownership is more 
expensive and has no benefits generally.

Jason
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