Buses and trains are no alternative

IT is amazing the huge amount of disruption the fuel crisis has caused.

But one aspect of this crisis which has yet to be highlighted, is that public transport in this country cannot be used as an alternative to the car, despite the Government and local authorities attempting to promote it.

This week has clearly illustrated that public transport is not a viable alternative.

Even those who back the use of public transport were unable to use it as the fuel crisis gripped the country.

Buckinghamshire county councillors, many of whom favour getting us onto public transport and are the instigators of the positive parking scheme in High Wycombe, cancelled their meetings this week because some councillors were unable to attend due to the petrol shortage.

Why did they not make the attempt to use public transport when they seem so keen to make the rest of us use it?

Perhaps they have realised that in reality it is time consuming, difficult to use, does not serve all areas and is not always a viable alternative.

The fuel crisis could almost be treated as a dry run for the day when motorists are truly pushed on to public transport by the authorities taxing them out of their vehicles and making parking an impossibility.

The Government and local authorities should realise what happens when the car is taken away from the public.