Covid-19 and public transport

With the (well-founded) fears generated by Covid-19, many people are afraid of using public transport and prefer to use their own car, so that cities have not seen much improvement in their traffic congestion problems.

I am convinced that the movement of people within cities should be supported by a good public transport service. It is cheaper and generates less pollution than private cars. I live in Madrid and I consider that its public transport (Bus and Metro) is of high quality, although everything in life can be improved.

And although people’s fear of using public transport is understandable at the moment, it is partly based on poor information about the risks of getting infected using public transport. And it must be recognized that the authorities have not helped by properly informing the people.

It is clear that each city has its own means of public transport, but there are a number of characteristics that make them similar. Buses and Metro cars are similar in terms of their internal characteristics, therefore what is said for one city serves for the most part for another.

Some time ago I read an information in the newspaper El Mundo about the characteristics of the Madrid Metro in terms of the quality of the air that is breathed in its wagons. This information is very positive and should have been made known with the maximum profusion by the city managers.

At peak times, the air in the Madrid Metro is regenerated every 2.5 minutes, more than in an office or classroom; and inside the wagons it is completely renewed every 3 minutes. With what the risk of contagion is very low because in addition everyone uses protective masks.

And what is said about the Madrid Metro can be extrapolated to other similar transports in other cities such as Barcelona, ​​Paris, etc….

Public transport is, in general, quite safe and infections are caused by causes other than these.

We do not have to lower our guard when it comes to our protective measures, but we do not have to demonize a public service that deserves our respect and appreciation.

A part of the future of cities without pollution and without traffic jams is having good public transport that respects the environment.

Hopefully almost everyone ends up using it.