OV9

dinny_g wrote: Tue Feb 06, 2024 9:38 am I'm all for improving public transport as an alternative to the car but something needs to be done about the unions because as cars become less and less of an option for most journeys, the unions have a strangle hold over the government to get what they want. Too powerful IMO

Actually investing in public transport would involve, for example, paying the staff in line with something broadly akin to inflation, too, rather than giving them real terms pay cuts (see - pretty much anyone in a public service job these days), so if it were done properly, that would be less of a problem.

Of course, that would involve it being done properly...and we all know how that song and dance goes in the UK.

I don't want to drag this into a debate about Unions but I haven't got a pay increase anywhere near inflation over the past 4 or 5 years. I could leave but I like my Job so I've adapted. (for example, I got a Series 4 Bosch Washing Machine, rather than a Series 6 or 8 )

Live sucks, get a helmet.

dinny_g wrote: Tue Feb 06, 2024 9:38 amThey then extended it - almost doubling in size but the issue is still the same.

This is a well observed phenomenon - increasing capacity often simply increases demand to match the new capacity and you end up no better off.

Building new roads & car parks doesn't ease congestion, it encourages more people to use cars...

Or, people come back to use the service 'as described'. People don't suddenly use a road because they like driving, they are using it because it meets their needs. The population is growing, the roads and transport links need to grow to match it.

The push to get everyone back into offices to help coffee and sandwich shops is somewhat at odds with easing congestion and reducing pollution when public transport is often crowded and unreliable.

I rarely bother going into town because roads are clogged, parking is a rip off and public transport links are useless.