What strategies can we implement to promote equity in transportation?

I think many people would like to use public transport more and take the train more often, but cost is an obstacle. I’m convinced that if we make public transport and railroads more affordable, more people will be encouraged to use them. I therefore support the idea that we should devote more of our common resources, notably our tax revenues, to reducing the costs of public transport and railroads.

I grew up in Södermalm in Stockholm and don’t have a driver’s license. I have been able to get around on foot, by bike or by subway all my life. It was easy enough for me to take part in the ecological transition. But a lot of people live in different conditions. For these people, access to sustainable modes of transport is more limited: giving up the car may be simple for some, but not for all. The important thing is to focus our efforts on the accessibility of public transport outside cities.

As far as policies to financially discourage car use are concerned, I think it would be wiser to concentrate our efforts mainly in big cities, by introducing congestion charges and parking fees. We should prioritize these measures over national policies that disproportionately impact rural communities.