Public transport is suffering due to coronavirus. But, what if we built social distancing and hygiene measures into the service, with fewer seats, and hand sanitiser available at entry? What if double-decker buses were soft top, so they could be made safer in terms of airborne viruses, with the top open in fair weather? What if there were a more comprehensive system, making it easier to get across town, or to the supermarket? What if this ran on electricity? What if it were free?
This could spur Preston's work + shopping commuters to move away from expensive, congestion-causing, environment-destroying car use, and propel us into an era of safe, efficient and well-loved public transport. The lack of cars on the road may also encourage wannabe cyclists to make use of the suddenly-much-safer roads: a free trial of bus service worked wonders in Nottingham, which saw a massive uptake in bus use, and therefore a decrease in road traffic and all the ills this entails.
This content is created by the open source Your Priorities citizen engagement platform designed by the non profit Citizens Foundation