trams, trains and buses...the Berlin way

Back from a week in Berlin in which I overindulged in public transport. From airport express trains to the city centre costing only 2euro (+10 cents, to be honest) to buses, trams and underground - a complete binge. Of course, its a massive city and no comparison to our humble little coastal village, but surely there's then an even greater shame that we can't get our act together? After all what does it really take to provide an adequate transport system that will wipe out the ridiculous car obsession that this country is saddled with?

A privatised bus service such as that being proposed by a certain political party as the solution to Dublin's public transport would be a disaster. I well remember the situation in Glasgow when "deregulation" was introduced - streets clogged with smelly, polluting minibuses that were suitable only for the scrapyard. OK, so there were strong contractual requirements placed on the companies, but then you need people to police these things. Anyway, after years of confusion and chaos (in which people migrated to cars!) the situation finally settles down, to a nice (for the shareholders) private monopoly holding the major routes and one-bus companies trundling between the shopping centres and the housing schemes.

Isn't it time we put the silly ideological nonsense of the dinner-party set behind us and just focussed on the best. most straightforward way of addressing the issue collectively? Without always having an eye on the chance of turning a quick profit. It's not about entrepreneurialism, its about a basic public service that will fulfil a wider, urgent need to tackle the wider environmental implications of increasing car use. Let's leave "the market" for shopkeepers and take a concerted, collective responsibility for the basic services and supports we need in our day to day lives.