To think car ownership is out of control in the UK

Decades of lack of insight and investment in infrastructure has left the UK in a mess (while the fat cats got fatter).

Unless you are in a big city with excellent transport it is impossible not to have a car. It would take me > 2hrs to get to work which is a 35m drive away as public transport is ridiculously inadequate, expensive and not very pleasant either (especially in Scotland when weather isn't great - which can be most of the year round)

Parking facilities when I get there are also inadequate.

Places like Japan are much more tuned into their infrastructure.

The solution in the UK is to take the easy route and just hike up costs so for those who can no longer afford it there is no alternative, but they need a car to get to work, get kids to school, care for elderly parents, etc etc etc, Our governments have gotten away with so much incompetence for too long.

I agree Op, and it’s not just Victorian terraces, I live in a suburban town with a HUGE amount of new build housing, most of it is on the edge of town. There are no new bus routes and as the new houses are town houses with tiny front yards, the on street parking is awful. And no, they haven’t made much effort to create cycle paths either

The whole things is a real mess tbh

My lovely neighbour has two adult DC at home; he also owns a dirty old van and a very large caravan so that’s his drive filled up so the DC’s cars and his car are all on the street. There is space but if he lived anywhere else he’d be very very unpopular!

You cannot punish car ownership under the current structure. Millions of people wouldn’t be able to work. I live within 25 miles of two major cities. My husband works on the outskirts of one of those cities, I work between the two.

DH starts work at 8am, and would need to get two buses and walk 20 minutes over the course of 1h52m to get to his work, and then sit outside for 40 minutes waiting for the building to open. Or it’s a 45 minute drive.

I do get the train to one city, but until recently every other train was cancelled, the trains never ran on time and were standing room only for a 40 minute journey. Extremely unpleasant, but admittedly cheaper than parking. I still have to drive to the station though. Or it’s a 20 minute bus to then have to wait 25 mins for the train, as the train is once an hour and so is the bus and they don’t coincide nicely with timing. I could walk, but a 50 minute walk before a 40 minute packed and unreliable train journey just isn’t how anyone wants to start every morning.

The other (closer) city requires a bus and two trains to get to. And in September they’re not running any train at all between where I live and the city. Rail replacement only. No discounted tickets though, so it becomes 2 hours across 2 buses.

Not to mention the once hourly bus to the supermarket and nearest town makes that a hugely impractical way of doing anything.

And if I want to take the dog anywhere, it’s the bus drivers discretion whether it’s allowed to get on or not - so I can’t reliably assume that a bus trip to the vets is an option.

Outside of London public transport isn’t anywhere near good enough to disincentivise car ownership. Fix that, and we’d be one of the first houses to go down to one car (and maybe no car!).

But there really isn't plenty of public transport available.

Where I live a bus to the local town runs 3 times a day from my closest stop or ever 30 minutes from a stop 25 minutes walk away.

Once you are on the bus the route means it takes 35 minutes to get to town.

Alternatively I could jump in the car at anytime and be in town in 8-12 minutes.

1h vs 10 minutes (2h vs 20 if you include the return journey)

Trains are awful, to get anywhere useful is multiple changes and waits and costs a fortune.

That's the issue, until you can come up with a solution that makes travel close to as practical as a car you wont stop people driving.

With regards to size, I agree there are absolutely people who want a big car for prestige, the look etc but its not all the case, there are plenty who also need the size. I have a Skoda Estate, the boot is gigantic, however once you have 2 small kids, a pram and 2 dogs in the car you are absolutely rammed!

I drive a ‘large’ car because I need it for work. My partner also needs a car for work. My teen son is learning to drive as he needs a car for work. It will be the same for my daughter in a couple of years. We live in a rural town with poor transport links. We can’t afford to move nor can my children afford to move out. Should we give up work and claim benefits in order to give up our cars? Should my children never be able to work as there are no local job opportunities. My son, for example, works long and, often, antisocial hours. Public transport is virtually impossible for him and taxi’s are financially out of reach.

In our little village car ownership is through the roof. So many houses have more cars than they can use and there are far more cars than there are owners.

I don't think making driving more expensive is a fair answer. Rather, owning excess vehicles should cost a premium.

Ah but does it actually turn up every 2 hours. Our local bus runs every hour but they never arrive on time and then two turn up at once - I used to think this was a joke until it happened to me. I'm in the SE as well and the public transport is a bit rubbish down near me

Do people really think that going on car strike will force the government to improve public transport? If so you have a lot more faith than I do. Public transport costs them money; car ownership makes them money.

Are you willing to give up your car and rely on unreliable public transport. If not, then why should others?

I work from home, I also walk when I can. I still need a car though.

This very much reads like I’m a driver and own a car but none of you other fuckers should because you get in my way - or something along those lines 🤣

The first bus leaves my village at 9.30am. How do DH and I get to work in opposite directions if we only have one car (according to your proposed rules)?

I’m glad you’re enjoying your car while advocating the rest of us shouldn’t have one. Do you realise how entitled you sound? I live in a small village with poor public transport - should I stay indoors to provide more space for you? As for your comments about women drivers - drivel.

We could introduce 1 car per house/flat.

If extra cars are required there would be an additional tax. Thus woukd discourage car ownership.

If you wfh, less need for a car. If you work away, choose a home near a station.

Very easy said, but the reality of walking head down into rain blowing sideways soon wears thin. Especially in dark mornings and evenings.

Maye if public transport was better, and cheaper - more people would use it.

I've bought tickets to go to central London tomorrow - £77!!
And its obviously just a hope they will be on time, so I am having to go in earlier just in case, oh and dont forget to add the £12 parking, and the 20 drive to get there...

Ah so you are unpleasant as well as unreasonable

Public transport provision has been continually cut, one reason being because of lack of use.

Because of increasing car ownership.

Public transport can't improve first due to the cost of having empty/barely used services running. Which was the reason they were cut in the first place...

It’s also because young people can’t afford to move out so you end up with many adults under one roof, all with a car…

Chicken and egg scenario. Until the alternative is actually there, nobody is going to give up their car. In reality, for vast amounts of areas outside major cities, public transport has been much reduced rather than increased.

My area has a community bus scheme, but lack of financing from local council is making it non sustainable.

Public transport sucks once you have small children too… no room or patience from others for buggies or small
children!

I agree with you op,not just on cars,the amount of traffic is ridiculous now,my once quite road is like the A1 now,Lorry’s ignore the signs an cut through,families having 2+ cars but no drive or a small drive.

he's achieved his goal people

https://i0.wp.com/pamgrout.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/00001q.jpg?resize=339%2C279&ssl=1

Car owners aren’t the problem here. If you live outside of London (or a big city), it’s virtually impossible to get around without one. Public transport is largely naff, high streets are closing in favour of out of town retail parks and family and friends no longer live just around the corner.

Unless gazillions was channeled into a brilliant transport system, I don’t see a solution. I agree with the point that some people do have totally unnecessary monster trucks, presumably as a status symbol. However that’s none of my business and people can buy whatever car they like.

I drive a SUV but it’s a necessity due to family members who are disabled (higher seating makes life easier) but also live semi rurally. The nearest big supermarket is 10 miles away. There is a smaller shop about 5 miles away but the local council recently slapped parking charges on the car park. That combined with parking machines which are incredibly slow has basically forced everyone out to the retail park where the parking is free.

I think it’s more to do with a succession of very poor planning by councils who appear more interested in revenue.

Just a thought I had whilst pondering about the school drop off - maybe schools could pick a different drop off point, walkable to the school- maybe even two or three different ones - and parents could drop off at those places and the children walk to school in a group with some adults/parents on a rota/school staff! Parents could choose the drop off point nearest to them or en route to work. Could use places like supermarket car park or station drop off point.