Car-free day? Do as we say, not as we do

Car-free day? Do as we say, not as we do

A few days before World Car-Free Day (WCFD) which fell last Tuesday, Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang tried to encourage city commuters to either carpool or leave their private cars at home and take public transportation.

The governor said Bangkok has continuously campaigned for WCFD every year by raising public awareness about worsening air and noise pollution resulting from heavy traffic.

To make his claim more convincing, the governor said the city has expanded its train network as well as introduced its own feeder service such as boats that connect train stations to ease traffic.

He also gave updates on all the train lines to be opened this year, including the extension sections of the Green and Gold lines.

Meanwhile, his son, Pongsakorn, who is city spokesman, voiced his support for public transport, but admitted that he drives to work. However, he persuaded commuters to reduce the use of private cars and get around by public transport and walking or cycling more, especially on the car-free day.

In short, the father and son were trying to convince commuters that they should change their habits by leaving private vehicles at home and get around more using public transport.

But after having tried to convince us, the governor and his son didn't give up their cars for public transport. Not even for WCFD. How do I know? There were no pictures of them using public transport on social media either that afternoon or the next day.

But, seriously, are we supposed to embrace the car-free day lifestyle only once a year? Are we not supposed to make car-free life in Bangkok a choice?

As he tried to convince us about the development of the public transport network, it seems we can't make it a choice.

One of his agencies didn't seem to cooperate. The Traffic and Transportation Department simply announced the scrapping of a trial feeder service, linking train stations and prime city areas, just a few days before the car-free day.

The pilot project of the so-called BMA feeder service was launched in mid-March, hoping to mobilise commuters between city train stations and either residential areas or land transport terminals. The six-month trial period, which was free, was conducted on three routes: the Southern bus terminal and Bang Wa BTS station, Din Daeng and Sanam Pao BTS station, and Keha Romklao and Lat Krabang ARL station.

But as the trial period was about to end, the BMA simply made an announcement the service would end in mid-September, without any explanation, or results of the trial.

Based on the trial period, the BMA said it would evaluate the service and collect feedback from users as well as to find ways to improve the service for the future. Unfortunately, the agency never gave a timeline.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority is today celebrating its 44th anniversary with a plan that will make it difficult for its patrons, halving the existing fleet.

The agency thinks only 3,000 buses and 162 bus routes will be enough to serve one million bus commuters in a city of more than 1,500 square kilometres.

We are definitely trapped in an idea that city trains will solve the chronic traffic congestion. Instead of trying to create its own feeder service, isn't it better if the BMA and the BMTA to work together on an efficient bus network that covers the entire city?

We don't seem to realise that these rail tracks only run through the main roads of major areas of Bangkok. Remember the traffic during the massive inundation last Wednesday?

The nightmare of Bangkok was on full display; the whole city was suddenly submerged and traffic became paralysed -- as usual.

This time was worse as displayed on a clip, shared on social media, showed part of Rama IX Road was flooded; cars were half submerged while motorcycles were swept away by the water.

A friend of mine, a dedicated bicycle commuter who doesn't live along a train line, tried to leave his bike at home for the day and used public transport and found himself wasting almost three hours on a 20km trip to work in the morning and walking half of the way home because of the paralysed traffic due to floods. How can we get around or access a train station if we don't live or work near one? Millions of commuters still need feeder services, be it buses, boats or even bicycles.

Instead of launching its own feeder service that only feeds commuters to city trains, maybe it's about time for both agencies to consider a co-work plan to make public transport more efficient so Bangkok commuters can live a car-free day not just once a year, but a car-free every day.

Sirinya Wattanasukchai

Columnist

Sirinya Wattanasukchai is a columnist for the Bangkok Post.

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