6 IATC Post Conference Thoughts

Dawn, Hruba Scala

Having enjoyed the stunning scenery of Hruba Scala for a week, I then travelled by train to Prague. Pleased to note the very low priced rail fares (less than £5 (€8) for a two hour trip) which can only encourage people to travel in an environmentally aware way, as evidenced by the number of cycle spaces on the train (12 per carriage compared to Virgin Rail's 2 per train!). The train filled rapidly with a good throughput of passengers at each station on route, yet at no point did the train seem overcrowded and there was lots of place for luggage near to hand, if only British rail planners could understand this. Good trains, on time, with low fares would keep cars off the road. While this would mean less fuel duty into the exchequer the benefits would be in less pollution, better health.