I'm breaking with one of my self-imposed rules that I would not use this blog to carry on about my day to day activities, but I think this little story forms part of a wider tale about public transport. In particular, for me, it illustrates just why public transport has, for many people, yet to become a viable long term alternative to car usage.
Anyway, my car yesterday went in for its MOT which meant that for the first time since starting my new job two weeks ago, I had to rely on public transport to get myself from Telford to Walsall. My trip to work went something like this:
7.05 - Left my house
7.27 - Caught the train from Wellington station
8.20 - Arrived at Birmingham New Street
8.39 - Caught train for Rugeley Trent Valley
8.59 - Arrived in Walsall
9.15 - Arrived at work
On the face of it, such a journey doesn't look so horrific. However, the first thing that you will notice is that it, in effect, took me two hours to get from Telford to Walsall. Those of you familiar with the geography of Birmingham and the Black Country will also notice that, in one of those annoying quirks of the British rail network, I had to effectively double back on myself in the trajectory of my overall journey. Additionally, if I was to get a train from Wolverhampton to Walsall, that would take me 55 minutes, stopping at numerous stations in between, seemingly going into Birmingham, then back up to Walsall. Next, consider that on a normal day driving to work, the journey to Walsall would take me less than half the time it took by train. Even with the inevitable congestion on the M6, this journey rarely takes me more than 45 minutes, and I expect that when the schools go back the journey will still take not much more than an hour.
I know I've strayed into rant territory, but quite frankly it needed saying. For the UK to truly move away from car usage, it appears to me that we need substantial investment in the public transport infrastructure. Granted, we are in a recession and cuts are being made, but for us to have a truly world class rail system we need a clear vision, that will be adhered to, of how the government (whoever it may be) will drive forward the development of the network so that we can move towards higher speed, electrified lines across the country.
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Interesting post Rich.
ReplyDeleteI use the train to get into Wolvo Uni and I very rarely have problems with them, but I fully take your point that for your journey there, there was so much "wasted time" ie. doubling back on yourself.
I think that the UK has been geared up for car users, and always will be. That's why the Government at the moment is trying to get as much money out of motorists as it can, hiding under all the "we're doing this to turn green" bollocks.
Yes, what a brilliant idea it was to close the 10-minute train route from Wolves to Walsall. It is embarrassing that one of the world's richest countries has a mean-spirited,inadequate public transport system. It's ideological. We don't believe in collective services any more. Shameful really.
ReplyDeleteI agree, and I think it is a shame that they resort to milking the motorist under the banner of 'green taxes'. Having spoken to people at work about this, some of them have said that they won't give up their car even if they do get hit in the pocket through increased road tax. I certainly wouldn't; not when travelling by train to work loses me two hours a day effectively (and not withstanding that I will soon need my car to get around to meetings in various locations). Attempting to price road users off the road just won't work, especially for people who rely on their car to move from different locations not covered by efficient public transport.
ReplyDeleteIf the government (and this goes for whichever party is at the helm) wants to truly cut down on emmissions and get drivers off the road, they would be far better served by investing in clean, efficient public transport (especially rail as well as both underground and overground metro systems - if feasible) rather than allowing us to continue with an inadequate network while hiking up taxes on drivers who in some cases do not have a viable alternative.
It certainly is an embarrassment. I wish I had faith that things would change in the near future, but I can't see anyone grabbing the bull by the horns and committing to vastly improving the system.