Monday 20 December 2010

About public transport in the UK (17) [Despre transportul în comun în UK]

All companies everywhere in the world promise a lot of things (most of their offers being no more that ‘PR crap’), and so was doing this Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company, while I used their services almost daily.

I must say that they kept their word. I don’t know about other parts of the UK, nor whether the overall quality of service matches the subsidies (mainly for fuel) that British public transport firms are being given even after the economic crisis.

On the upper deck of its double decker buses one could read promises of “day trips” (for what they called “very reasonable prices”), of “no need to wait” (due to reliable departure times), and of “no such thing as last bus” (in the case of two lines at least).

But never count on witnessing these promised fulfilled when it snows! It’s not even necessary to have huge snowfalls and bitting frost, like in the past days, so that such a ‘good Brit example’ wouldn’t be available anymore.

The whole of Britain – including everyone form the Govermnent, to private firms, local councils, and probably most ordinary citizens – is gravely unprepared for tough winters, as even the current PM, David Cameron, proves it.

Partly, it’s because of the milder climate. It would make sense to invest in snow ploughs or stocking up too much salt & grit. But it could also be that few other countries, apart from the UK have been so hysterical about global warming, not the ‘Big Freeze’ for the past years.

[For all the episodes of this series, and all the posts on this blog go to/Pentru toate episoadele din această serie şi toate postările de pe acest blog mergi la: Contents/Cuprins]

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