Public Transport

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Why is it so shocking?

I'm mainly talking about the buses here, especially in the North West.

I single ticket from my house to Garstang (less than 5miles) costs around £3.00

How much do you think a single from Preston to Lancaster costs?

Around £6:00 I'll say that again £6:00 :eek:

Aswell as these incredible prices they are often late, dirty and smell of vomit. Then the government wants us to stop using are cars. :rolleyes:

Who is in charge? Because they really need to grow some common sense and intelligence. Sort it out. NOW!!

[Mark]

I'm not familiar with Garstang, but is that in a city? For the most part if you are wanting to go to suburb to City Centre, things aren't too bad. The problems start if you want to do something other than a 'standard' journey.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

I'm not familiar with Garstang, but is that in a city? For the most part if you are wanting to go to suburb to City Centre, things aren't too bad. The problems start if you want to do something other than a 'standard' journey.

Garstang is a rural market town on the A6. I live on the A586 which is one of the main roads into Blackpool.

[Dave B]

Preston to Lancaster is, apparently, 25.8 miles ( Google Maps (http://local.google.co.uk/local?f=q&hl=en&q=preston+to+lancaster&ie=UTF8&om=1) ). So to be fair, £6 isn't too horrendous...

...if the service is good.

[schmenke]

...Aswell as these incredible prices they are often late, dirty and smell of vomit. ..

So you've visited my town eh? :mark:

[Captain VXR]

According to the government, 'tis 3 heures et dix minutes (3 hours + 10 minutes) to Rockingham from my house by car but 6 heures trente cinq minutes (6 hours + 35 minutes) by public transport

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Preston to Lancaster is, apparently, 25.8 miles ( Google Maps (http://local.google.co.uk/local?f=q&hl=en&q=preston+to+lancaster&ie=UTF8&om=1) ). So to be fair, £6 isn't too horrendous...

...if the service is good.

I don't think the bus goes via the M6 ;)

[GridGirl]

When I use buses, which I admit is pretty rare these days there is usually a maximum fare for journeys journeys which I think is about £2.30 on Travel WestMidlands or Birmingham Coach Company buses. Plus if your going to go on a long journey or require a return its usually cheaper to buy a Day or Week saver ticket if you do the journey on a daily basis. This usually lets you on and off any bus belonging to a bus company for your single fee.

Actaully you might as well just invest in a bus pass if its going to cost you £3 for a single journey. I used to commute to work and back using 4 tains and a couple of buses and it didnt cost me £6 a day using a Day Saver ticket if I hadn't bothered to renew my travel pass.

[Mark]

I used to commute to work and back using 4 tains and a couple of buses and it didnt cost me £6 a day using a Day Saver ticket if I hadn't bothered to renew my travel pass.

I know you don't get on well with trains ;) :p

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Preston to Lancaster is, apparently, 25.8 miles ( Google Maps (http://local.google.co.uk/local?f=q&hl=en&q=preston+to+lancaster&ie=UTF8&om=1) ). So to be fair, £6 isn't too horrendous...

...if the service is good.

In fuel costs- by car the journey would probably cost you £2-£3.

However I'll accept that you will have to by the car, pay for insurence, tax and parking.

But a car is faster, more reliable, more comfortable, doesn't smell,quieter and you don't have to share with weird strangers.

Buses should have more offers such as travel anywhere in the region all day for £2, like they have in major cities.

[BDunnell]

But a car is faster, more reliable, more comfortable, doesn't smell,quieter and you don't have to share with weird strangers.

I simply can't understand why people find this so unacceptable. I find it perfectly easy to put up with.


Buses should have more offers such as travel anywhere in the region all day for £2, like they have in major cities.

Sadly, it's not economically practical in a lot of rural areas where fewer people use the services. If there was more of a Government subsidy, maybe this would be different, but sadly people don't generally like supporting parties who are in favour of shelling out for such things.

[LotusElise]

In cities with good transport networks, I prefer to use public transport. If it's a regular journey, there is probably a "Saver" offer available that the company might not publicise enough.

I do agree with Jon B about bad smells and the odd people who sometimes hang around on buses. I'm not always comfortable travelling alone after dark on buses and trains and would prefer to be in my car.

In rural areas, bus services are often totally impractical for working/busy people and far too expensive.

[sonic_roadhog]

I have just recently had my first experience of public transport in many years. My family (myself, wife and toddler) took the bus from our home to a local shopping centre - 2.8miles to be exact. Cost? £7.90!!!! I nearly fell over. The driver smiled and told me little one went for free - I should bl00dy hope so, he's sitting on my lap! Anyway until public transport users don't have to own bentley's to afford the journey i shan't be trying again.

[BDunnell]

I have just recently had my first experience of public transport in many years. My family (myself, wife and toddler) took the bus from our home to a local shopping centre - 2.8miles to be exact. Cost? £7.90!!!! I nearly fell over. The driver smiled and told me little one went for free - I should bl00dy hope so, he's sitting on my lap! Anyway until public transport users don't have to own bentley's to afford the journey i shan't be trying again.

Is that £7.90 for a single journey per person or £7.90 for a return ticket for the lot of you?

[555-04Q2]

Why is it so shocking?

Shocking :?:

We've just had over 100 of our city buses impounded because they are unroadworthy, not just minor problems, but dangerously unroadworthy :s hock:

[janneppi]

Muhah, yesterday's 10km bus ride, 1.05 Eur and because i managed to conduct my business fast enough, there was no extra charge on the way back, eat your heart out mister automobile. :)

[schmenke]

A couple of weeks ago I started working in a new office building in the South end of the city (I live in the North). Until recently I was enduring a minimum 75 minute one-way trip using public transportation. I've now started commuting by car and it's taking only 25 minutes :mark: .

[sonic_roadhog]

Is that £7.90 for a single journey per person or £7.90 for a return ticket for the lot of you?

Return for each of us.

[nicemms]

In my area, West Yorkshire between leeds and wakefield, the maximum fare is £1.60 on a Arriva bus not a clue what it is for first but the service Arriva provides can be a joke at times: buses running late, jam packed single deckers, drivers that either go too fast or too slow. No wonder why people would rather go by car than by bus.

[Mark]

Buses are very frustrating. It's no wonder people choose to go by car!

I'm going to Oxford next month, staying in a hotel on the outskirts, I'd like to leave my car at the hotel and get a bus into the city centre. I know there are buses which go that way, but all the information I can find just gives a general outline of their route, I've no idea where the bus stop is close to the hotel, if there even is one :(

Local buses are for local people who know the area only it seems. I'll probably end up just having to drive in because the bus information is terrible.

For example, one of the bus stops listed is "Old Swan Public House", now that might be obvious if you live in the area, but how the hell do I find a pub which no longer exists on a map?!

[BDunnell]

Local buses are for local people who know the area only it seems. I'll probably end up just having to drive in because the bus information is terrible.

I totally agree. I think it's especially disgraceful that London buses don't have some sort of passenger information system fitted, either in the form of digital displays or spoken info, telling you which stop is coming next. This is something that makes bus travel in many European cities so easy.

[Mark]

I totally agree. I think it's especially disgraceful that London buses don't have some sort of passenger information system fitted, either in the form of digital displays or spoken info, telling you which stop is coming next. This is something that makes bus travel in many European cities so easy.

They do have that in Nottingham. When I was attending a meeting there it was useful as when you are going to a place you don't know, you often end up panicing and getting off at a stop far too soon, or leaving it too late and ending up a mile down the road after you've missed your stop!

[BDunnell]

Exactly. Bus companies in the UK have never been known for their customer service, and in rural areas they are often thoroughly unprofessional. It's one reason why it's such a bad idea for them to run train companies as well.

[slinkster]

I get a bus to work every day... and I don't mind it. We have lovely new buses which are normally clean and comfortable. Yes, you get some wierdo's on there, and there's one woman I see on one particular (older type) bus who is constantly ill and I hate touching anything on the bus incase it's infected.. but other than that I don't mind the journey. It costs me £1.40 for a fifteen minute ride.. which I think is pretty steep, but to be fair, I don't mind paying more for a decent service.

[FrankenSchwinn]

i work in the public transportation industry and i have to say that you brits have the worst system i've EVER seen. case in point, in december 04 i was at a london pub (i think it was The Social, anyway) and i'm not used to the 11/12 closing time and i only had 4 pints when we got kicked out. i get on the tube and ride up to where my hotel was. i dont remember exactly where it was but as i'm sittin there the damn tube completely fails to stop at my stop and there was an anouncement saying that the station was closed as we're riding by the station. woooot???? no announcement BEFORE i got on the damn train? nope, no sir. so i did another loop and got to the same station using another line. by the time i got out of the underground i really, and i mean, really had to flood the gutters (pee), it was so damn painful. the worse pain. i was contemplating peeing in the street but last time i did that i got chased by dutch cops, so i held it in to the hotel. pain, i tell you, pain. all due to the london underground.

now, the bus service is terrible too. i work with an english guy who used to work for the public transport in london and he has told me horror stories about the drivers there. they would break their radios just so that the base could not get in contact with them, not report accidents, etc. as someone who works in that industry, i sit in the double deckers and wonder how the vehicles last longer than a month with the way these people drive them. i mean, the brake pads and rotors alone must be a hellavalot of money, and with the way they accelerate, diesel must be a large chunk of their budget. and it will not change because the drivers union is way too powerful and no progress could be made (according to my coworker). london is completely outclassed on the public transport system.

besides england, i've had pleasant expriences everywhere i've been. sydney is awesome, so are paris, helsinki and reykjavik. NYC subway sucks but the buses are not bad (they run clean CNG). DC in overall is not bad at all. Denver's buses are liveable. sanfran is ok, but i just don't like it. though i have not been, melbourne's seems to be quite good. even bogota's buses are improving! i've got family that went to moscow and he called me just to tell me that the subway is rather good there and he was surprised. so, yeah, when is the UK going to get on the ball with this public transport thing?

what about others, how is it in your city/country?

[janneppi]

Just came back from a public transport fest. :)
I was in a job interview yesterday in Helsinki region(Vantaa for the Finns), It took place 22km from where my brother lives and it would have taken 1h 15 min (atleast), three different busses or two busses and a train, i opted to borrow my brothers car which resulted in 25 min drive mostly along a main road(Kehä III). I would have a hard time with those times and if i get the job and move down there, i'll try to find easier place to live regarding commutes.

It took me about three hours to get from Vantaa to Hervanta(bus to Helsinki train station, 1h30min by Pendolino to tampere, and another bus to Hervanta, all in all , about 35 Eur(20 with student benefits) Not too bad as it takes bit over two hours by car as tested with turbocharged Volvo two weeks ago. :)

[CharlieJ]

A while ago, I worked out that running my car, for commuting, shopping and weekend leisure trips cost me about £190 a month, excluding the repayments on the loan for the car. The cost for myself and my wife just to commute, shop and make other essential trips on public transport would be about the same. The big difference is time. The combined time taken for both of us in using uncomfortable, crowded, dirty buses for commuting and shopping would be around 140 hours a month, but using the car it is just over 50. :eek: Spot the advantage - that alone makes the £175 per month loan repayment worthwhile, but the running costs also include weekend days out, most which are completely impossible on public transport.

[FrankenSchwinn]

practicality and time. the 2 key words to get people like you and i, car owners, on buses and trains. we want the transport to come to our front door or close to it and for it to drop us off right in front of where we are going. all the while to do it in a timely manner. it's almost impossible. so, we drive. there is nothing wrong with that but soon, i will be working on finding ways to get us out of our cars and into the public transport.....

[BeansBeansBeans]

It is all about convenience, selfishness and a massive helping of laziness as far as I'm concerned.

I planned to take the bus to work yesterday morning, so that I could have a few drinks after work, but when I awoke I just couldn't face the 20 minute walk to the bus-stop, the long stop-start journey, or the hordes of commuters, so I took my car and drank Coca Cola on my night out.

So there you have it folks, driving is more addictive than alcohol.

[draper]

public transport is terrible, i always always get the weirdo sitting next to me, trying to talk to me - thank god for ipods !!

[BDunnell]

practicality and time. the 2 key words to get people like you and i, car owners, on buses and trains. we want the transport to come to our front door or close to it and for it to drop us off right in front of where we are going. all the while to do it in a timely manner. it's almost impossible. so, we drive. there is nothing wrong with that but soon, i will be working on finding ways to get us out of our cars and into the public transport.....

Just go to most mainland European countries and you will get some of your answers.

In the UK, there is a view, perpetrated over the years by the likes of Margaret Thatcher and Jeremy Clarkson, that people either have a car or use public transport. This is not the case elsewhere. I would imagine, for instance, that the vast majority of people who use the German rail network for long-distance journeys own cars, yet choose not to use them. Whether this is more because of the quality of the service provided by the German railways (which is generally excellent) or the fact that people there are more enlightened, I don't know.

[FrankenSchwinn]

Just go to most mainland European countries and you will get some of your answers.

thanks, i grew up there and spend somewhere between 4 and 8 weeks a year there. actually the company i work for does most of its business there too and they do operate german trains too! the thing with mainland europe is that they do it out of practicality and mostly due to the driving and parking situations in the metropolitan areas.

[LotusElise]

I do drive to most places but sometimes prefer the train for long journeys or going into London. Buses and trams are fine in cities, where there are plenty of stops and a regular service. In more rural areas, they don't do the job.

Could river or canal transport potentially help anywhere? I know that it's not practical at the moment due to speed restrictions, but could it be made to work?

[CharlieJ]

For me it's quite simple... why should I pay more on buses than I spend on diesel for commuting, and then take at least twice as long for each journey (always assuming that the scheduled bus turns up - and that is by no means guaranteed), which would also be uncomfortable compared to the car?

I'd like to have a clean, quick, cheap and reliable alternative, because the drive to and from work every day is tedious. In fact, when I moved to where I live back in 1977, there was a good, regular, reliable bus service that I was happy to use. Everything went bad with privatisation. Now it's all about profit and to hell with the service.

[nicemms]

#
I'd like to have a clean, quick, cheap and reliable alternative, because the drive to and from work every day is tedious. In fact, when I moved to where I live back in 1977, there was a good, regular, reliable bus service that I was happy to use. Everything went bad with privatisation. Now it's all about profit and to hell with the service.

Even though I wasn't around pre 1977 I think privatisastion was a bad idea. The buses around here,as I've said before, are often late and routes that were useful to me not to long ago got stopped even though they were often full. The prices Arriva charges are just too high as well.