Sir, – While I agree in principle with David McWilliams's proposal to make all public transport free ("Make buses, trains and trams free – and revolutionise Irish transport", Opinion, January 29th), he does not at all make it clear that the €6.6 million to service the €660 million in forgone fares in any one year will be a cumulative figure for every year following, so that after 10 years the service cost will be €66 million, and so on. This may take some of the shine off his figures. – Yours, etc,
KEVIN CLEARY,
Dublin 6W.
Sir, – “Free” public transport will only encourage that scourge of the commuter, the “character”. – Yours, etc,
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JM BURKE,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – James Murphy ("Public transport – nothing is ever free", Letters, February 3rd) is correct to point out that "free" public transport still has to be paid for. However, better public transport will lead to a decrease in Ireland's high percentage of car journeys. What's often missing from these debates is that car travel is heavily subsidised by the State, even when you take into account taxes paid specifically by motorists. So getting people onto public transport and (even better from a cost-protective view) cycling are cheaper options than the current model. – Yours, etc,
DAVE MATHIESON,
Salthill,
Galway.
Sir, – James Murphy astutely links use of the term “free” public transport, which must be funded by some source, as advocated by David McWilliams to the latter’s support for modern monetary theory.
This idea, that more money can be printed by governments in a relatively inconsequential manner, is often abbreviated to MMT.
Some have observed that it is convenient that these letters can also refer to the Magic Money Tree. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN O’BRIEN,
Kinsale, Co Cork.
Sir, – In France they have a saying: “The only free cheese is in a mousetrap.” – Yours, etc,
DAVID SEXTON,
Seaford,
Sussex, UK.