Rail Fares Policy Slovakian Style

[8H]

This is straightforward enough, and passengers are always saying they want something cheap and simple. Something like this always puts ideological cats amongst the ideas pigeons, but it is making the railway accessible!! Discuss?? Over to you..............

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/passenger/single-view/view/slovakia-funds-free-rail-travel.html

 

[cuccir]

full-time students between 16 and 26

Irrespective of whether the wider economics would work, as someone who has been a student and who now works in Higher Education, I'd have a couple of problems with this part of the proposal.

First, I fail to understand why students receive benefits such as these when those on low wages, often in the same age category, don't. This recent thread seems to make a good case for affording young workers some discount on travel or at least, the same that is accessed by students.

Second, if they are focusing on students, why not those who've returned to education when older than 26? If Slovakia wants to continue to grow its economy and compete, then encouraging education across all age groups is important.

 

[gordonthemoron]

the train in the photo looks like an Oebb

 

[455driver]

Is there an election due?

 

[HSTEd]

Well this is unlikely to bankrupt Slovakia - indeed even the entire British farebox is peanuts compared to Government spending.

How they avoid massive use growth adn chronic crush loading will be interesting to watch.

 

[Clip]

How they avoid massive use growth adn chronic crush loading will be interesting to watch.

Well as it will only affect half the population spread out over the country then not that much I would imagine. Especially seeing as theyre adding capacity

 

[BantamMenace]

Irrespective of whether the wider economics would work, as someone who has been a student and who now works in Higher Education, I'd have a couple of problems with this part of the proposal.

First, I fail to understand why students receive benefits such as these when those on low wages, often in the same age category, don't. This recent thread seems to make a good case for affording young workers some discount on travel or at least, the same that is accessed by students.

Second, if they are focusing on students, why not those who've returned to education when older than 26? If Slovakia wants to continue to grow its economy and compete, then encouraging education across all age groups is important.

Firstly in the UK everyone at 16 will have the option to continue their education in some form or another and then at the age of 18 they are able to apply to a higher education institution and the vast majority that apply will find a place whether it is their first choice or not. They do this as a route to bettering themselves, increase their future prospects and whether intentionally or not they go on to support a stronger economy as a result of doing so. Offering discounted travel amongst other things should be another incentive to stay in education for this prolonged period.
Very very few people that are in these low paid jobs you talk of under the age of around 23-24 will not have had the option to continue their education and hence receive these discounts.
Keeping as many in education for as long as possible (through incentives like reduced travel expenses) frees up jobs for those over 25 and unemployed and after graduation they enter the jobs market at a higher level so not to interfere with the lower paid jobs market.

 

[HowardGWR]

I have a friend who thinks all local transport should be free (just a commodity like social health).

Meantime, I do think it's a bit odd that pensioners here get free bus travel but can't get free local rail travel as they do in London. Perhaps a distance or time limit could be put on that. From where i live, as an OAP, I can get a free bus to Exeter but not the train. Seems a bit daft.

 

[Bevan Price]

I have a friend who thinks all local transport should be free (just a commodity like social health).

Meantime, I do think it's a bit odd that pensioners here get free bus travel but can't get free local rail travel as they do in London. Perhaps a distance or time limit could be put on that. From where i live, as an OAP, I can get a free bus to Exeter but not the train. Seems a bit daft.

You don't get free (off-peak) rail travel because your local / county council is not willing to pay for it. Some other areas used to offer free rail transport, but stopped this in order to save money. A few local authorities still finance free off-peak rail travel for local residents, but are not obliged to continue this forever.