Would you leave your car and use public transport if it was free?

Thousands of people were forced onto buses or trains this week doing something they would rather not.

Closures to accommodate the road cycling event at the European Championships made it very difficult to navigate Glasgow by car.

So, people who normally make their journey to work in their own car had to switch to public transport, train and subway being the best way to avoid the road closed ahead signs.

Some hard core refuseniks however decided it was just too much to contemplate and took the day off rather than spend a little time in a moving enclosed space with fellow members of the public.

Many people seem to view public transport as a second class way of travel.

The subway and trains were busier than usual on but most people were relieved the following day when he car was king once more.

Although, I did hear one colleague say he would be taking the train more often.

So, what does it take to get people out of their cars and into public transport?

In Germany there is a trial of free public transport about to begin in cities to reduce pollution.

The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has proposed free public transport for the same reason and it is expected to be a key election issue in 2020.

All these cities are years behind Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, where free travel was introduced on trains, trams and buses for residents in 2013. Visitors and foreign tourists have to pay.

Tallinn has a population of 450,000, similar to Glasgow.

Glasgow is planning measures to reduce pollution in the city centre with the Low Emissions Zone due to be phased in from the end of this year.

The avenues project will make streets more pedestrian and cycle friendly and streets redesigned for people not cars.

The Connectivity Commission led by transport expert David Begg is due to report with other measures to increase public transport use and free up the city from congestion.

Could free public transport across Glasgow, or in parts of the city, be incorporated into the plan?

The Tallinn experiment had mixed results, failing to reduce car use significantly but it did increase the number of people using public transport, suggesting it was about affordability with people who previously walked taking a free bus instead.

Together with other measures free public transport could work.

If cars are restricted in the city centre and on certain routes and there is reliable and affordable, i.e. free, public transport, would more people use it?

It would require significant investment with more buses needed and more frequent or longer trains required on already busy commuter routes.

It would involve greater regulation and devolving of local rail services down to a local level and collaboration between local authorities.

For people on low incomes, families with teenagers at school and college and young people going to work on trainee wages transport costs take up a large chunk of their outgoings.

It would certainly work for them in financial terms.

But the real goal would be to reduce car use and cut down on pollution.

It is worth a trial in Glasgow?