I came into work today by bus and, as usual, it was packed to the hilt with people standing and swaying in the aisles. Never mind the safety aspects here, it makes for an uncomfortable ride for all the passengers. It’s not even as if it’s cheap – the ticket costs over £5 to get into the centre of town and it only runs every hour.
You see, I live in a rural area and like many people who live away from town centres, we have a lousy bus service. There is no bus on a Sunday and if I want to get into town after 5.30pm I have had it, unless I am prepared to walk 1.5 miles to the next village and catch a different service.
Similarly, I can’t work overtime because my last bus leaves the centre of town at 5.50pm, so if I choose to work late it means a 40 minute walk home.
This morning I got on the bus and it was already packed. There was no point in waiting for a later one, because that comes after 9am – and I am already supposed to be in work. So I, like many commuters have to act like a sardine, sat alongside a crowd of students with knapsacks and bags. None of us enjoy the experience, but no-one says anything.
Like many people I don't drive. In my case it is a blend of reasons - partly financial, because running a car is so expensive these days. But also for health reasons as I had a small stroke a couple of years ago and it has affected my reaction times - so, although DVLA say I can continue to drive, I have chosen to remove myself from the roads, because I do not feel I am a good driver any longer. In my eyes, this seems a logical and rational decision.
It’s not as if the bus company is doing badly either, as the figures below show:
| Year to | 31 Dec 09 | 31 Dec 08 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item | £000 | £000 | % |
| Turnover | 3,147,800 | 3,042,200 | +3.5% |
| Operating Costs | 3,034,300 | 2,870,400 | +5.7% |
| Operating Profit/ (Loss) | 113,500 | 171,800 | -3.9% |
| Pre-Tax profit/ (Loss) | 74,900 | 150,000 | -50.1% |
Now, although the figures aren't fantastic, they aren't bad either and with these sorts of figures coming out, is it not a simple act to simply put one extra bus on at peak times to make sure grumpy old folk like me can sit in comfort on their way to work.
Or is that simply asking too much?
I often giggle interiorly as, wedged into a packed tram, bus, or train, I recall the disgust of the couple of people who had to stand on my rural bus into town in Scotland.
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