Public Transport - would you use it? (Poll inside!)

[CommanderJameson]

I live in a small market town that had its branch line axed by Beeching, way back when. If it still existed, I'd be able to get the train to work with a 10 minute walk at each end. And I so would, too. Commuting in itself holds no pleasure for me.

The current state of affairs, though, is that if I want to be a Good Eco Citizen, I have to take the bus. Well, I say "bus". I actually mean "two buses". My drive takes, on a fair day, 25 minutes. The bus journey is an hour and a half. I reckon it costs me about a fiver a day in fuel (and since I started a car share, less than that). The bus fares are more than that.

Clearly, there are no practical or financial advantages, at the moment, to public transport for my commute.

However, if the problem were resolved - if there were a clean, comfortable, timely and fairly-priced service that didn't eat three hours of my day - I would use it. I'd much rather read the paper on the way to work than drive there.

Would you? If the service was there, and of a suitable standard, would you use it? Obviously one cannot take the bus when one has a carful of work gear, but there are many people for whom this is the exception, rather than the rule.

[patmahe]

Voted yes, because I would consider it, if it was practical, quicker, more convenient and cheaper, sadly it is rarely any of these things.

[kambites]

Happily, yes. But it doesn't generally meet any of your "ifs" at the moment, let alone all of them.

[Dr Derek Doctors]

No because my car is Warm, Safe, On Time, Urine/Tramp Free and goes were I need to go.

[MKnight702]

Voted yes, however, have yet to find an occasion where it was "practical" for work other than a rare trip to London. Mostly when I have investigated it is either, too slow, too expensive, too infrequent, not available or most likely combinations of the above.

[thinfourth2]

If it wasn't st, slow, smelly, expensive, inconvient and worse of all full of the public i would

[aizvara]

I tend to take the train to work - I live 3 miles away from the station so I cycle it then take the train. The train is not overcrowded, certainly not expensive compared to driving, and pretty reliable. Don't like the train for longer journeys, though; tends to be too expensive and not much fun getting luggage and family on board.

I wouldn't bother with public transport if I had to take the bus, can't really stand the total lack of information at most bus stops, combined with the random arrival and departure times, and cancellations, finding correct change etc... Also, I find that buses tend to take longer than cars in traffic, even with bus lanes, as they obviously have to stop regularly, and often take longer routes round town.

BTW: I'm surprised at people answering that they'd never take public transport; do you people not fly anywhere ever? Or do you all have private aircraft?

[Chiswickboy]

Depends on where I am going. Bus to work but get a lift home in a nice warm car:-)

Occasionally travel from London to Carlisle and take the train as it is almost door-to-door and the hotel entrance is only about 20 yards from the station.

Trips to hospital generally by bus as I don't need to change but otherwise its car, car, car 'till my Daddy takes the T-Bird away.

[ZOLLAR]

Until around about march-april next year I use public transport (bus) to get to and from work, the only real gripe I have is there is no service to where I live so I catch a bus to a nearby village then have a 20 minute walk not so bad helps with the fitness and all.

[petrolsniffer]

I very rarely use it.

I even have the option of a night bus after a night out but for obvious reasons i'll use a taxi.

What baffles me is how do we get it so wrong yet over the channel they get it so right in supposedly less developed countrys?

[james_tigerwoods]

I live in rural Lincolnshire - public transport here is a complete joke. I've only used it once and I worked out that to get, even in to town, from home - I would have to get a 9am bus, spend an hour getting in there only to have to get a 3pm bus back just to make it back in to the village.

In big towns and cities, it seems to work - rurally or getting to those same towns/cities from rural locations. No.

London seems to be the only place that public transport seems to work - As for the public that use it, as a "Northerner", I find it theraputic to try to have conversations with Londoniumers.

[skoff]

I can't honestly see how public transport could match the speed, convenience, comfort, or most importantly flexibility of my own car on my 110 mile daily round trip.

Too many times have I been left on a freezing train station platform waiting for a train not to arrive. This is one of the main reasons I quit my job in London so I could avoid public transport.

I gave up all that nonsense years ago and I wouldn't go back.

[Muzzer]

I'd totally use public transport.

If the cost, journey time and hassle-factor were less than using my car I wouldn't hesitate.

For example, I refuse to drive in London. It's just pointless with a public transport system which, whilst slated regularly by those who use it, is perfectly sufficient for my needs.

If I could get a train/bus/tram to my work I'd do so, and have a V8 in the garage for weekends

[CampDavid]

I use public transport everyday.

I used to commute 50 miles by car, now I do the same by train and it's much easier. I get to read a paper, I can switch off, it works. Commuting by car is dull.

That said, at this time of year the train is hell. All my fast ones are cancelled and the heating has been inexplicably turned off - it worked well enough in August!

Cost wise I think my train ticket works out to be a similar cost to travelling by new Ford Focus, maybe a touch less.

[Mazdarese]

I think I would mix it up. If I could get a bus/train to work and it was convenient and cheap, then I would probably do that for 3 days a week and drive the other 2.

[ewenm]

I use whatever is appropriate at the time. Sometimes I drive to work, sometimes I get the bus, sometimes I cycle or run.

If I'm going out for a beer or two in town, I'll often walk in and get the bus home.

I don't understand why public transport was privatised, or at least, why anyone thought that privatisation would result in anything other than reduced services and increased costs for the user.

[BeeRoad]

ewenm said:

I don't understand why public transport was privatised, or at least, why anyone thought that privatisation would result in anything other than reduced services and increased costs for the user.

Then you're obviously too young to have had to use British Rail during the seventies and eighties. . . . . .

[Crusoe]

Problem comes when you have to have a car anyway - live out in the country - so even if I have a good transport link to take me to work it would still be less hassle to take the car as I am only paying for a bit more fuel and wear compared to the cost of public transport.

[soad]

If I have to or need to - then, yes.

[ewenm]

BeeRoad said:

ewenm said:

I don't understand why public transport was privatised, or at least, why anyone thought that privatisation would result in anything other than reduced services and increased costs for the user.

Then you're obviously too young to have had to use British Rail during the seventies and eighties. . . . . .

Used the railways quite a lot as a child in the 80s. My parents used to put me and my younger sister on the train in Lancaster and we'd travel to Bristol, a guard on the train making sure we'd get off at the right station. Not only is that no longer a direct route (different franchises you see), but I suspect most parents wouldn't dare do that nowadays.

Given the fare increases, would you say the service has improved that much since the 70s/80s?