What do you think of public transport in britain?

Question

the government wants us to us it more, but the facilities we have are failing us!
buses, trains and so on need to be improved!!!

Answer 1

Actually public transport in Britain is nowhere near as bad as some people imagine. I dont have a car and have never wanted one - yet I can honestly say there are very few places of any significance in Britain I have never been to from Lands End to John O Groats and everywhere in between.
Trouble is, cars are a drug and are addictive. The government have been in the pocket of the automotive industry for at least 70 years. In that time they have done nothing much to encourage public transport use and everything possible to encourage car use. In doing so the chancellor has become dependent on petrol tax and VAT. The result of this has been a nation that is has become car dependent. Traffic speeds in towns are not much faster than in the days of horse transport in many cases. Towns and cities have been torn apart and rendered ugly to suit the great god car - and are now being forsaken as people drive to shopping malls and hideous retail parks on the outskirts. Look around you! Britain really does look like a giant car park doesnt it? People cannot do anything or go anywhere unless it is in a car. Or think they cant.
I have recently returned from a holiday in Switzerland. It is nice to go there occasionally to remind myself of how things should be done. In over a week I didnt see one traffic jam. Cities were all refreshingly free of cars. Yet the Swiss have a better standard of living than we do. The secret? Well there isnt one really - its just that the government accepts that a comprehensive network of public transport is vital to the efficient running of the state. therefore: All trains are electric. All run at regular clock-face timings generally at least hourly 7 days a week. Bus stations are always located next to railway stations. Buses always connect with trains and with each other. Timetables are always available. Trams and trolleybuses dominate transport in the cities. Everything runs with absolute precision (the lack of traffic jams helps facilitate this). Connections are guaranteed....I could go on really, but I might start crying. All it takes is the political will to do something and it could be done - but as it is I suspect that politicians couldnt give a toss so it isnt going to. Learn to enjoy sitting in traffic jams - appreciate the freedom that a car brings you - and to the people sitting in the bus behind you.

Answer 2

Compared to most of Europe, public transport in UK is pretty rubbish. You cannot rely on, e.g., buses to arrive on time, timetables are not co-ordinated so that you can link bus and train journeys. It is expensive and often dirty or has loads of graffiti making it unfriendly and intimidating. The de-nationalisation of British Rail was a total fiasco. The private companies that now operate the trains in order to make a profit for their shareholders, receive four times as much subsidy as BR ever did. The subsidies should be cut to their previous levels and the shareholders made to shoulder the cost. That is how the railways were built in the first place.

A point that is not understood about the de-nationalisation of British Rail is that it is an EU directive and should be applied across all of Europe. They are slowly moving in that direction in Germany but very few Germans realise what is going to happen to Deutsch Bahn.

Answer 3

It's terrible.
Last week,every day quite a few of the underground services were cancelled due to signal failure or vandalism.
On Thursday of last week,7 out of the 12 underground lines were putting it bluntly f*****d up.
In areas surrounding the n.e,buses were on strike,with another one planned for 27/11.
The government want us to use public transport,how can we when the service is so crap.
Every new year,there's always a fare increase,I'd love to know how they can justify it when they don't use the buses or tubes.
I had to use the buses for 2 days last week,and it took me longer to get from A to B,than it does using my car.

Answer 4

Its a nightmare....especially in Glasgow..I tried it for 2 weeks and I was so relieved to get back behind the Wheel of my car.. Why you would want to spend an extra 2 hours travel time - Queueing in the pissing rain - freezing to death sitting - sorry - standing - in a confined area with - say 50 - other people coughing, spluttering & snottering all over you - I dont know . If you have the means to travel in your own vehicle do so,,...why cant the Government Eff..Off and leave us alone.. And I dont know about other Cities in the UK - but ..in Glasgow travelling on the Bus &Train is like dicing with Death...

Answer 5

depnds. buses in london arent two bad but i hate the bedny buses. they just block junctions. the DLR in london is so effiecient and lovely. everyone complains about the tube but personally i think its quite good. shame it does not run later. The national rail network though is a total disgrace. overpriced absolutely awful service. i can name so many times that my day has been ruined by the sheer crapness that is raitrack/british rail/network rail. who ever owns it now. now i am all stressed thiunking about it. had better go lie down before i rant further. everything fine except overland trains.

Answer 6

Fine, if you have plenty of time. Out where I live you have to wait over 3 hours for a bus and the NEAREST train station is 7 MILES away.

Answer 7

The government dont want us using it at all, they make zillions out of car owners, the public transport network is designed to fail!!

Answer 8

I was a tourist there earlier this year in London and I was so confused about the bus system! The underground was great, but the bus was the worst!!

Answer 9

I do think in some places it has got a little better BUT the prices are too high,it's a rip off for what we get.

Answer 10

in north wales terrorible,we rely on buses once an hour to go to our biggest town,more much more needs to be done