(05 Nov 2014, 12:13 pm)eezypeazy wrote Newcastle and Metrocentre are well served from 0530 - 2330 every day! Even if you have to change once!
It's the utility of the car (and rising affluence) that makes the car more attractive.
You are right in what you say and I agree with the points you make about the difficulty of persuading motorists in switching to public transport.
However, I would be interested in your views about how to prevent bus users switching to motorised modes of personal transport. Rising affluence (and the appeal of personal mobility) both have a role to play in the decision to switch from one mode to another, but not everyone is affluent enough (especially in the North East) to do so as a matter of choice. Some are forced into that position for one reason or another.
We are all constantly reminded about the rising costs of motoring for younger drivers. Paying around £1,500 per year insurance, in addition to other costs, would be enough to dissuade me from owning a car at such a young age. I would guess the notion of 'freedom', as well as the sense of achievement in passing a driving test, are huge factors in modal shifts in this age group. But one might argue that owning a bus pass entitles you to just as freedom at a lower cost. How do you address this without, of course, abolishing free parking and introducing congestion charges here, there and everywhere?