Forums > Social Chat > BRITISH TRANSPORT SYSTEM

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InvictaBRONZE Member
member
15 posts
Location: chatham kent, Germany


Posted:
i know its a strange subject but we have had public transport in britian for about a hundred years now most proberly longer, so why are we spending so much on it (e.g over £5 on a ticket to get across london and £110 on a ticket to get from Doncaster to plymouth) when we know that most of the time the trains going to be late, and expecially london underground when we get squashed on to a train like a tin of tuna. So why have we not got it right yet? now i have been to six european countries and they have got their systems sorted out, even kosova have got a better transport system then us and they have been through a war in the last 10 years so why have all the prices of the tickets increased in the uk but the service is getting worse? confused

beerchug
invicta

if the world was peaceful we all will get alot further in life


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
I've used the British rail and public transport systems and for all the complaining you guys do, you at least have a system. We don't, really. Ours sucks. In this country, unless you live in a very large city (like New York, DC, or Chicago), you absolutely need a car and can't get around without one. Even where I live has a bus system that is so convoluted and has such a deficient schedule that I've only ever managed to use it once.

British rail got me from London to Sheffield and back....all on time. It got me all over London without too much trouble. I've used the various European rail systems many times and I'm always impressed with the system, even if it has the occasional glitch. It certainly runs better than the U.S. answer, which is our privately-run air transport system.

I'd honestly consider moving to New York City just so I could get rid of my car.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


DuncGOLD Member
playing the days away
7,263 posts
Location: The Middle lands, United Kingdom


Posted:
Because it's run by idiots, generally employs idiots and nobody seems to have a sense of achievement, satisfaction or work ethic in their job. That's the impression I get when I use the trains and buses.
I go to Bristol from Telford (about 110 miles) every other week and it costs £37.90 for a return ticket. My best mate has just been to Switzerland and his flight cost £33 return including all the airport taxes. How can they fly a plane for 1500 miles cheaper than a train drives for 110 miles?!?!

British Tranportation Systems SUCK. More than Marmite but not as much as coffee.

They tax our fuel by 80% and apparently the reason is to encourage people to use public transport instead of their cars, yet there is no useful system for them to use! Oh and we also give the least percentage of subsidies in Europe towards operational total costs and development.

In my town there are a lot of factories, I'd estimate probably around 1000+ industrial units. At least half that I know of work shifts starting at 6am-2pm, or then 2pm-10pm. Yet no buses run in the town at all until 6:30 and have stopped all but a few by 11pm.

Short sighted fools, nearly all of them. And the few who make or try something good often get shot down by their money grabbing peers.

humph mad

Let's relight this forum ubblove


DuncGOLD Member
playing the days away
7,263 posts
Location: The Middle lands, United Kingdom


Posted:
Yeah but Lightning North America is 9,365,000 sq miles. The whole of Europe is only 3,837,000 sq miles. The UK is only 94,267 sq miles and that includes Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our systems suck, I'm just glad a visitor such as yourself had such a nice experience in our little ole place biggrin

Let's relight this forum ubblove


originalsmitSILVER Member
addict
469 posts
Location: nottingham, england. cornwall wales denmark or pra...


Posted:
agrees with bug
okay i hate british public transport. havnt travelled much so i have not seen anything better.
but heres an example.
left kent to travel the 250 miles home at 2pm got home 11.30pm
i blame london mainly for being crap.
nottingham city transport sucks too. its quicker to walk than bus cos the busses drive past you too full to let you on.
frequently.
cost for a return to london £43 cost for a single to london. £42
figure that one out.
pounce got from U.S to kent about as fats i got from kent to notts. sillyness
still the sun is shining and the walk home actually appeals for once.

my original signature was tooo long.
this one is shorter


SpitFireGOLD Member
Mand's Girl....and The Not So Shy One
2,723 posts
Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada


Posted:
yeah....they are trying to install a rail system in Houston. Most folks seem fairly well opposed to the idea. They love their cars too much.

It would be nice if we could get from one end of the country to the other by rail at a decent price. Unfortunately, it's not cheep nor is it time efficient.

Berlin has a great mass transit system, that I recall, as does all of Germany. I really enjoyed my short visit there several years ago. I could easily live there, I think...except I don't really speak german.

Uhm...I'm rambling. I think I'll just hush now.

Solitude sometimes speaks to you, and you should listen.


simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
Yes but the reason that our public transport system lags behind other countries is plain, and it's mentioned in the first post.

Ours is really really old.

And budgets being what they are, we aren't gonna happily pay out all the extra tax to rip it all out and start over.

So they just keep patching and jury rigging a crumbling and ancient system.

It's still pretty damn good if you ask me.

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Spanner, they're Germans. They make trains run on time. That's just what Germans do. ubbrollsmile

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


originalsmitSILVER Member
addict
469 posts
Location: nottingham, england. cornwall wales denmark or pra...


Posted:
yeah
lets vote for mussolini and all get to work on time.

the german integrated transport system is a good model.
when i have my own country ill copy their ideas.

my original signature was tooo long.
this one is shorter


Chironback after 5 years...
35 posts
Location: UK


Posted:
British transport has suffered years of no investment, its reckoned rail is 20 years behind modern technology. With the Beeching cuts of the 1960's all the small and really useful branch lines were closed which is why Britain is strewn with dismantled railway embankments. In the UK you need to own car, it costs the same as buying rail tickets and its a whole lot more reliable. Also if you buy a small new car its actually now more environmentally friendly than going by rail. sad but true.

I have to agree about German railways, superb system.

Wizard of LED poi !


DomBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,009 posts
Location: Bristol, UK


Posted:
Actually I think it's pretty good, the British just love whinging! Having been to lots of other countries I know that it's frequent enough and can be affordable.

I can get all around London, all day for a £2.50 bus pass, or £5 if I want to use the tube and be quick. There's buses every 2 minutes from my house. I can be pretty much anywhere in the M25 in an hour max. It's not bad. But if you live in suburbia you get more limited service, but less people use it so that figures. If you're in the country side there's 2 buses a day, but most people have cars if they live that far from nowhere.

Most trains aren't late, mostly only a couple of minutes late. When did you last turn up exactly on time? Read a book, listen to music and enjoy a quiet few minutes extra. Unless you're on a rush hour train, in which case you can practise your eye contact avoidance techniques. eek

Quote:

Because it's run by idiots, generally employs idiots and nobody seems to have a sense of achievement, satisfaction or work ethic in their job. /quote]

They work in public transport ferrying around ungrateful people all day - what kind of job is that! Job satisfaction? I'm nice to bus drivers, ticket inspectors and the like as I can imagine how boring thier job can be sometimes.

The whole system is managed by idiots, compounded by the privitisation farce the the Tories and New Labour put through. How it's run financially is a farce, but the people working on it suffer it as much as you do.

The train network needs a certain amount of miles of line replaced every year. Since privitisation only a quarter of that work has been done. They're now trying to catch up, but it'll take 10 years. The result is delays, derailments and death!

Interestingly the Indian railway system the British Empire built is just as old and underfunded. The trains are slow, but they're mostly on time apparently.

And comparing flights to trains is silly, because you book cheap flights in advance. Planes don't need track, and the excessive fuel they use to pollute the atmosphere is tax free. If I want a train ticket to Edinburgh in 2 weeks then it'll cost me about £50. A flight costs £70. A flight tomorrow costs over £250

DuncGOLD Member
playing the days away
7,263 posts
Location: The Middle lands, United Kingdom


Posted:
Quote:

They work in public transport ferrying around ungrateful people all day - what kind of job is that!


It's the job they choose to do, that's what!

Quote:

The whole system is managed by idiots, compounded by the privitisation farce the the Tories and New Labour put through. How it's run financially is a farce, but the people working on it suffer it as much as you do.



Exactly....run by idiots. Idiots give idiots jobs.

Quote:

The train network needs a certain amount of miles of line replaced every year. Since privitisation only a quarter of that work has been done. They're now trying to catch up, but it'll take 10 years. The result is delays, derailments and death!


More idiots doing/done a bad job

Quote:

And comparing flights to trains is silly, because you book cheap flights in advance.



You can book trains in advance too, and I do thank you very much. But often both trips (for ME on MY journey) aren't available so I have to buy the full price.

Quote:

and the excessive fuel they use to pollute the atmosphere is tax free


But isn't the excessive fuel tax duty applicable to vehicles travelling on the Queens highways....not the railways?? They all pay tax...tax 'free' fuel is a myth.

I wish the rest of the country could have a transport system even close to the one in London....but how many politicians in London spend any time thinking about any other towns outside of London?! To the rest of us London seems to be treated like it is a country in itself!...but paid for by the whole of the UK dissproportionately.

Let's relight this forum ubblove


DomBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,009 posts
Location: Bristol, UK


Posted:
Quick, off topic post: "tax 'free' fuel is a myth."
Article 8 paragraph 1 of the EEC Council Directive 92/81 requires Member States to exempt mineral oils from the harmonised excise duty when they are supplied for use as fuels for the purpose of air navigation other than private pleasure flying.

Sp!nna of the Burymember
39 posts
Location: Planet Zog - Canterbury


Posted:
[censored] Man! rolleyes

You guys should use teleportal travel or something, it's way easier and loads more fun......


Or


Hover boards!! (skateboards that float upto about 20 feet above ground and are controlled by thought) They'd be great for cruising round London!

ubbloco

Any sightings of Moo the Cow should be urgently repoted to mooline direct on 0800 008 808. He is on the loose in the HOP pages with bodger's mash potato and may be a direct threat to jugglers! Thanks.
Neighbour-shed Watch


Tao StarPooh-Bah
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol


Posted:
london transport is pretty bad - but you should try living in outer mongolia...i mean Somerset.

there is ONE but that goes through my village. that's it. It goes once a hour (if you;re lucky) and once every 2 hours on a sundy. If i want to get to a train station (ours got closed in the 70's) i have to get this bus, wait for 1 1/2 hours somewhere in the middle of nowhere in fear of being abducted or something, and then do an hour bus journey from there.

so if i want to get a train somewhere i have to do nearly a 3 hour journey by bus to get there in time for a train which is nearly always late.

wooohooo. umm

By comparison, london is a dream. I don't have to work out when the bus is coming, i just go to the bus stop and, hey presto, one magically appears! it also costs me £20 a month, where the bus journey in Somerset is minimum £3 for a SINGLE. eek

I had a dream that my friend had a
strong-bad pop up book,
it was the book of my dreams.


pounceSILVER Member
All the neurotic makings of America's lesser known sweetheart
9,831 posts
Location: body in Las Vegas, heart all around the world, USA


Posted:
i'm with lightning....don't complain. i lived in london for awhile and i never really had any problems with it being on time. sure a few times it was late, but hey, just meant i got to go to work a lil late and they understood biggrin but seriously, i had HUGE culture shock when i came back to the states for a variety of reasons, one of them being having to drive again. i'd gladly give up my car and pay a small amount every month for a pass because it's still cheaper than buying a car, paying insurance, paying for EVER INCREASING gas prices, and paying to upkeep my car. you guys have it good. trust me.

I was always scared with my mother's obsession with the good scissors. It made me wonder if there were evil scissors lurking in the house somewhere.

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

**giggles**


ASTRO FAERIEBRONZE Member
ummmmmmm.............
724 posts
Location: Rotherham, UK


Posted:
I have to get from sheffield to stockport most days on the train.
The service is not good, most of my trains get delayed coming from manchester, then when you get on its packed so you have to stand for 50mins on a rattly train.
It may seem ok when you travel once in a while, but when you rely on the train as much as i have for the past 2 years its gets damn annoying that the service is getting worse and the prices getting higher. Im a tolerant person most of the time but this kind of service gets a bit much when it starts taking nearly 3 hours to get home, because ive had to wait another hour for my bus due to late trains.

Only when the last tree has died
and the last river has been poisoned
and the last fish has been caught
will we realise that we
cannot eat money.

Cree Indian, 1909


Tao StarPooh-Bah
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol


Posted:
it's not just the actual trains though, but the whole system.

i had to take my little bro to the station, the first time he went a long way away on his own. He phoned up before hand to check the price and stuff cos he's not exactly loaded, and he took exactly the right amount with him. Luck i went with him and waited, cos it was about a tenner more than they said it would be! I coudn't believe it, if i had gone he would have been stranded at the station or would have had to spend about £7 on bus tickets to get home (like i said, he's not very old and £7 is a lot of money for him. Heck, it's a lot of money for me!)

When we phoned up to complain, they offered us rail vouchers!!! it was so cheeky, i had to write 3 letters to even get a real apology and the money back, which is my right seeing as the srvice failed us. They weren't rude, just incredibly disorganied and not with it at all.

I had a dream that my friend had a
strong-bad pop up book,
it was the book of my dreams.


pounceSILVER Member
All the neurotic makings of America's lesser known sweetheart
9,831 posts
Location: body in Las Vegas, heart all around the world, USA


Posted:
i had to rely on the trains every single day i was there, and still had no problems. and that was for a good long time, not just a week or two.

like i said, you honestly have it better than you think. come to the states and try to rely on public transportation in most cities. then we'll talk wink

I was always scared with my mother's obsession with the good scissors. It made me wonder if there were evil scissors lurking in the house somewhere.

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

**giggles**


GottaLoveItSponge
883 posts
Location: Stevenage


Posted:
Quote:

the British just love whinging!




Very true, I'm really beginning to worry about my whinging skills, they're far too advanced.... must regress, must regress!!!

Buses here are ok, a little steep on the pennies side but ok... I pay em back by paying in 5p's LOSERS

Monkeys monkeys and bananas


DuncGOLD Member
playing the days away
7,263 posts
Location: The Middle lands, United Kingdom


Posted:
Quote:

Quick, off topic post: "tax 'free' fuel is a myth."
Article 8 paragraph 1 of the EEC Council Directive 92/81 requires Member States to exempt mineral oils from the harmonised excise duty when they are supplied for use as fuels for the purpose of air navigation other than private pleasure flying.





If I'm reading this right is it saying that company and government air-transport fuel is Harmonised Tax free, but not the general public...ie us who go on any domestic flight.

And out of interest Dom; what is "Harmonised" duty, does it include VAT or is it just the other odd 65% that's added to it as the premium?

Although even if it's free from all tax, all oil companies turn profit...that profit is taxed....that tax is accounted for in the selling price...........tax free fuel is a myth.

Let's relight this forum ubblove


pounceSILVER Member
All the neurotic makings of America's lesser known sweetheart
9,831 posts
Location: body in Las Vegas, heart all around the world, USA


Posted:
ya but we have the same problem with transportation for disabled persons that you have. but we don't have even moderately good public transportation for everyone else.

I was always scared with my mother's obsession with the good scissors. It made me wonder if there were evil scissors lurking in the house somewhere.

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

**giggles**


DeepSoulSheepGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,617 posts
Location: Berlin, Ireland


Posted:
rolleyes come to Dublin people say the same. No matter where you live you'll never be happy with what you have. It's human nature.

If possible get a bicycle. You'd be surprised how fast you can get places.

My magic carpet is my favourite way to travel. It's eco-friendly too cool

I live in a world of infinite possibilities.


GottaLoveItSponge
883 posts
Location: Stevenage


Posted:
Quote:


My magic carpet is my favourite way to travel. It's eco-friendly too cool




I've always wanted one of them.... where'd you get yours? Has it got lots of pretty patterns??? If I don't get one I'll stamp my feet and scream!

Monkeys monkeys and bananas


Tao StarPooh-Bah
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol


Posted:
the other day i was on a bus that could hold a wheelchair (only one mind you, so i don't know what they'd do if 2 needed to get on.) There was a woman in a wheelchir witing to get on and the bus driver pulled up miles away from the kerb so she couldn't get on. She asked him to pull up agan and he flatly refused!!! eek They had a huge argument and people on the bus started shouting at him to let her on, so he did (after about 5 mins). then when she got on she told him she was the president of the disabled peoples rights committe (or whatever it's called) and she was writing a report - so she took his name and everything ubblol.

well done to that woman - the bloke got what he deserved, but what if the woman was just a shy quiet person without the power to get him in trouble? it made me think a bit...

I had a dream that my friend had a
strong-bad pop up book,
it was the book of my dreams.


DuncGOLD Member
playing the days away
7,263 posts
Location: The Middle lands, United Kingdom


Posted:
That's really bad....what a horrible bus driver. I really hope he gets the sack for being such an arse to the disabled community. I bet his face was a picture when she told him who she was.

I was on a bus last year and there was this guy at the bus stop, he had a bike but had a crippling pains in his stomach and couldn't ride. he said in broken english that he needed to get home to have his medication (which turned out was only was about 10 mins bus ride away) When the bus arrived the driver refused to let him on as he had a bike. Apparently bikes don't count as luggage and aren't allowed. So I suggested we broke into into three sections with the quick releases and load the sections into the luggage holder, nice and safe and no longer a bike. The driver said no and to get off his bus as he was falling behind schedule!! Oh so important compared to this poor guys stomach.

Fortunately I had my mobile phone and called a cab for the guy. We waited for it to arrive, chucked this guys bike in the back and drove him home. I took great pleasure in telling the bus driver what I though of him and his ethics....not that it made any difference as he said he didn't give a f*ck what I thought or how ill this guy was. And it's not like he wasn't going to pay his fair or anything, he had his money in his hand. I don't know how some people sleep at night I realy don't.

Let's relight this forum ubblove


Tao StarPooh-Bah
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol


Posted:
i guess the only thing you can do is let people know. After the incident with the disabled woman i took the liscence plate number and reported the drivere - i know she was doing it too, but i thought it couldn't do any harm.

someone who's willing to do that kind of thing in front of a whole busload of people and not even act ashamed obviously has a serious ethics problen.

i believe in letter power though - just look at amnesty international!

I had a dream that my friend had a
strong-bad pop up book,
it was the book of my dreams.


flidBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,136 posts
Location: Warwickshire, United Kingdom


Posted:
*bump*, because I just found this incredibly good flash animation, which will bring joy and laughter to any commuter:

https://www.backingblair.co.uk/london_underground/

but should not be viewed by under 18s or those of a religious disposition

smile

Pink...?BRONZE Member
Mistress of Pink...Multicoloured
6,140 posts
Location: Over There, United Kingdom


Posted:
Flid - that was amazing!

So true aswell! ubblol

Never pick up a duck in a dungeon...


GavinoSILVER Member
Member
16 posts
Location: Fallen behind the fridge, Australia


Posted:
My housemate played that for me the other night, and I nearly pissed myself!

Found myself humming it on the tube the next day...

Flowers are pretty.


Wonder MonkeyBRONZE Member
Certainly confused
121 posts
Location: Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom


Posted:
Excellent ubblol

My Mummy Says Im Special

bounce ubbloco bounce


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