Launching September 2020, Free Our City is a new coalition of community campaigns, trade unions and the youth climate movement, campaigning for free public transport for everyone in Greater Glasgow.
Inspired by the hundreds of forward-thinking cities across the world – from Kansas to Calais – we’re demanding that our politicians deliver a world-class, fully-integrated and accessible public transport network that’s free at the point of use. This radical policy is now urgent and necessary to ensure our city region makes a just and green recovery from the pandemic – a recovery which addresses the climate emergency and tackles gross inequalities in our society.
On Saturday 19 September 2020, 11am we held our online conference & launch event. We were joined by speakers from different cities around the world to share their experiences of campaigning for, implementing and living with the many benefits of free public transport. One hundred participants from Glasgow and beyond asked questions and contributed to breakout sessions to discuss how to develop, get involved in and work together to win our campaign in Greater Glasgow. View a recording of the conference here:
Running Order:
Introduction:
00:01:41 Jennifer McCarey, event Chair (Free Our City)
Presentations:
00:09:42 Xavier Dairaine (Director of Engineering in Urban Communities in Dunkirk, France where free public transport was introduced in 2018) with live translation from Babs MacGregor
00:28:18 Jackson Cullinane (Unite Scotland)
00:41:08 Ellie Harrison (Get Glasgow Moving / Free Our City)
00:55:04 Katrin Winter (citizen of Tallinn, Estonia where free public transport was introduced in 2013)
Breakout Groups:
01:03:47 Pause for breakout groups [not broadcast]
01:24:20 Feedback from breakout groups
Closing Remarks:
01:35:20 Helen Jackson (Scottish Youth Climate Strike) and Jennifer McCarey, event Chair
The Free Our City coalition includes: Glasgow Trades Council, Campaign Against Climate Change, Get Glasgow Moving, Scottish Youth Climate Strike, Scot.E3, GCOP – Glasgow Calls Out Polluters and Divest Strathclyde.
