I am delighted to see that it is highly likely we will belatedly be doing our bit like Arnie to combat climate change, the warnings have been ignored for too long.
Maggie tried in vain 16 years ago to put this on the worldwide agenda. Today, warnings about global disasters are made almost on a daily basis.
One way to reduce carbon emissions is obviously to reduce the number of vehicles on our roads, which can only be achieved by considerably improving our appalling public transport. I can never understand why our public transport is so dreadful.
Why don’t railway companies think more about the needs of our commuters, provide enough carriages so that all passengers have seats? Would you ever turn up at the theatre and be denied a seat having paid good money for your ticket? Why is this allowed to happen to rail travellers?
I cannot understand how our health and safety regulations allow passengers, sometimes elderly, to have to stand for long journeys because there are not enough seats and they are constantly jostled, causing them considerable discomfort. This seems to me a serious issue for health and safety where a blind eye is being turned.
Why can’t we have inspectors similar to Ofsted to monitor our railways to ensure the rail companies are delivering what they should, that the service is clean and reliable and their staff are helpful?
If motorists are to be encouraged to use railways, then rail companies have to think ahead and provide cheap or even free car parking to make it an easy and attractive alternative, this is another big headache for commuters. And rail prices should be set more competitively; charging 5 star prices for a 1 star service will simply not do.
There is much that could be done to improve bus services too. People don’t want to use our route from Ely to Cambridge because it is too slow and tortuous and goes through all the villages. My suggestion is that they have two services, a speedier one that gets from A to B in the quickest time possible, and a second one which serves the villagers too. That way, everyone would be happy. I would be only too pleased to hop on if that was the case.
In Cambridge we are lucky, we have excellent cycle lanes and can get on our bikes. I’m sure it won’t be long before David Cameron tries them out to push his green credentials.
Update: More on railways from this Telegraph blog.
The issue is as far as I can see, that the rail system was nationalised after the war (when it was flogged to death). BR then managed a steady decline in the system until it was privatised.
It should have been denationalised instead, leaving companies in control of rail, stations and trains as it was in the past.
Also, we need lighter trains, which will use less energy and cause less damage to the rails.
The transport system. Where does one begin? Everything, but everything, is the problem. An interfering Government, greedy companies, over-regulation of the wrong things, and not not enough regulation of the right things, uncertainty in pricing, high fares. And we haven’t even thought about safety and other such things.
The poor passenger is being taken for a ride in more ways than one. He has no choice but to pay over the odds for an uncomfortable train ride. On top of which, he runs the risk of getting mugged at the local train station. All this while the different parties pass the buck.
Assuming one even had the option of boycotting public transport, there is fuel duty, congestion charge, and all manner of other imposts to consider. Perhaps we are not supposed ever to set foot outside our homes.
You are right, Ellee. The key to reducing vehicles on the road is to improve the pubic transport system. Somehow I doubt that this Government will manage it. Then again, there is a part of me that wonders what business it is of the Government’s in the first place. I would prefer it if the Government restricted itself to two things: providing proper infrastructure (enough roads, etc), and drawing up proper, workable regulations for the transport providers, complete with enforceable sanctions. Then they can let us all get on with it.
Until motorists have a decent alternative, they are not going to abandon their cars.
Sorry, long rant 🙂
I think there are not enough seats because we let them get away with not providing them!
Hi, I live in Canada, we have similar issues in Canada with transit, be it buses or trains, never enough seats!
Lets start demanding them! (seats)
wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Cheers!
I agree, Susan. In what other industry can the service provider get away with taking your money and providing a sham of a service? Elle makes a good comparison with buying a ticket for the theatre.
When I was in Britain, I never understood why free bus services to Tesco, Asda, etc., only operated once or twice a week and never in the evenings or at weekends. What do they think most women do all day? Don’t they think we have to work?
Mind you, I thought Cardiff Bus was awful until I came to Sicily. Here the services between towns are good but the local service is a nightmare! There are not nearly enough seats, the floors can’t be lowered for wheelchairs and baby buggies and as for a timetable – forget it!
Trains are cheaper here than in the UK and on mainland Italy are efficient and are used by everybody, not just people with expense accounts who can afford them.
I think the problem with public transport, here as in the UK, is that the people planning it don’t have to use it!
“Today, warnings about global disasters are made almost on a daily basis.”
As are requests from a myriad of organisations, universities and scientists dependent on government funding to perpetuate their belief that we’re all doomed.
Writer and blogger, Peter Glover, has written an excellent article for the British Journalism Review.
“We see the headlines almost daily. “Global warming: passing the tipping
point� (The Independent, February 11, 2006), “Climate change a bigger
security threat than terrorism� (The Guardian, June 12, 2006) and “Sea rise
could be catastrophic� (BBC News, March 23, 2006). Anyone familiar with
the flow of media reports might easily conclude from all the media hype that
man-made global warming or climate change is established science-fact. Yet
nothing could be further from the truth.”
A very revealing article and well worth a read.
http://www.bjr.org.uk/blog/2006/08/21/what-climate-consensus/
http://www.petercglover.com
You’re right, Ellee. We can’t be expected to use more public transport if they remain in the dire condition they are in.
Welshcakes Limoncello makes a good point about the decision makers not using public transport. I think it should be part of their job desciption that they are forced to use a transport system they are imposing on the public.
Regarding rail passengers who don’t get a seat, I believe there are real safety issues at stake here and I don’t know why this has been ignored. On my recent holiday, we learned that the champagne used to fill the traditional champagne fountain could not be sold off cheap any more because of health and safety regulations (presumably germs), but commuters can be trampled on and tripped over and fall during hazardous rail journeys because the rail company has failed to provide enough seats, yet they still have to pay the full price, which is totally unfair.
Hi, Here is SA we dare not use public transport, unfortunatley it is just to dangerous – our roads are overloaded with cars and our infrastructure is suffering. They are however busy with a rail system called the Gautrain for the 2010 Soccer! You have a really nice blog!
Daily Pundit, thanks for the recommended reading, I have checked out Stephen Glover and posted a comment, it was a very intersting read.
NMOTB, Why should you have to wait for a soccer match to get a decent train, it doesn’t seem fair? I sympathise with your transport/safety problems in SA, not an easy one to solve. Is SA introducing legislation to help combat climate change?
Hello Ellee. Thanks for stopping by my blog! My internship is part of my Interior Design degree. I will be working at a firm that specializes in Offices. I’ll probably start it in 2 weeks!
As for your topic of discussion here, I think it would be phenomimal if there was a way to provide affordable, and safe public transportation. Where I live is too far away from where I currently work to take any sort of public transportation. Also, the city that work in has a bus system, however it seems that in this area public transportation has a negative image associated with it. If you take it, you must be poor, otherwise you’d just hop in your car and drive yourself. I would take mass transportation if it was convenient, affordable, and safe. Maybe someday we’ll see it?
Inspectors on the railways here a thing of the past sadly. Technology has taken over everything, except we still need a train driver!
Hi Ellee, I think Mr. David Cameron landed in India yesterday only and he went to Pune. You can expect some news and opinions once he reaches Delhi. Meanwhile I’m giving you the website addresses of some major newspapers in India.
http://www.indianews.infoindia.in/
http://epaperdaily.timesofindia.com/
http://www.thehindu.in/
http://www.indianexpress.com/
http://www.hindustantimes.com/
I’ll keep you informed of any new developments reg. his visit which comes to my knowledge.
Dig ’em up and tarmac ’em.
Converting the rails to bus and freight only roads would increase the capacity, make the service more efficient as there would be competition, and the services could be more flexible as they could introduce more direct travel based on passenger needs.