Thread by @garius

The framing on this is outrageous.

I'm just going to post, verbatim, the bits from my TfL Finance article where we debunk the 'myth' public transport in London is somehow optional.

It is not. It is a necessity. /1

"Drive to work” may sound like a reasonable temporary measure. And indeed for the majority of the UK it is not only reasonable, but a return to the norm. In London, however, this simply isn’t possible. /2

This is a complex issue. A few very broad comparisons, however, should serve to highlight the difference between London and the rest of England in this area. /3

The population of Greater London, for example, is approximately 8.6m. The rest of England equates to approximately 47.4m. In 2011, the DfT published driver licence data split between London and ‘rest of UK’. /4

Adjusted for ‘England only,’ this highlights that roughly 50% of people in England, excluding London, hold a driving licence. In London, this figure is only 25%. Again, this is a broad comparison, but the difference is marked. /5

Even when London households do have access to a car, the balance of that access is different to the rest of the UK population. TfL have some good statistics on car ownership and access (link attached), but here are some graphs. /6 londonreconnections.com/wp-content/upl…

Personal car ownership by income and gender, London residents. /7

Personal car ownership by income and age, London residents. /8

Personal car ownership by income and ethnicity, London residents. /9

Household car access by borough, London residents.

The bus in that Sky 'OMG LOOK AT THE PEOPLE' video is a Number 25 via Whitechapel to Stratford.

Tower Hamlets (33% car access).

All this shows a key issue for getting London back to work WITHOUT using public transport: /10

If you are young. If you are low-income. If you are female. If you are from a minority ethnic group. If you are any of these things or more, then you are less likely to have access to a car right now than even other Londoners /11

Londoners, remember, who we we have already highlighted are significantly less likely to own a car ALREADY than those living elsewhere in the UK. And there is a better than average chance that you would not know how to drive it anyway. /12

Using public transport in London is not optional. It is a necessity. /ENDS

Full article on this and TfL's financial woes here: londonreconnections.com/2020/tfl-the-i…

RE: 'on you're bike' comments and similar.

- Unless you have a physical impairment
- Unless it was the first leg of your multi-part journey
- Unless you can't afford one

- Unless the housing shortage and rent levels in London mean you are sharing and have nowhere to put one
- Unless your work does not provide access to cycle storage
- Unless your route doesn't include good cycle routes and is a hostile ride

- Unless you have to 'trip chain' (kids to school, then work, then carer duties)
- Unless you are time-poor or need to be in early.
- Unless a WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER REASONS apply as to why you can't cycle.

Stop thinking everyone's experience is the same as yours. Get off your high horse. Get on your bike. Get out of my feed.