So, how do I get to work today?
I can either drive to Westbury or I can wait and get the 08.05 that will get me in to Swindon for 09.42, if I'm lucky. Unfortunately this one's consistently late as it has to wait at Castle Cary for an HST▸ to go through first ! Is this the shape of things to come...?
OR:
1. Drive
2. Get the 234 bus
3. Get a taxi
4. Work from home
I post up certain alternatives to show you that First don't have a monopoly. I'm not sure if I WANT to point that out, as I think First may want to get rid of a lot of their ex-Wessex business - "Only brings in 4% of our revenue but takes up a LOT more of our time" according to one of their managers, explaining at the timw why they can't put more resources in but could also show why they don't want it. I think First actually asked if they could bid for the new
FGW▸ frachise excluding the ex-Wessex services but were told that it was all or nothing.
A serious matter ... I know of at least one person who has given up working thanks to FGW. Yet somehow the economics of having someone on the dole don't get weighed into th ecost justifications for a decent train service.
I was in Finland last week - a fast and efficient public transport system, in use by th emajority of people, and at about a third to a quarter of the cost around here. What a pleasure.
