Public transport

Well, here in good old KM we are blessed with a reliable public transport system - at least for a limited number of hours a day. It is true that I can get to work 20 miles away in good time by catching the 6.55 bus, arriving at work for 8.00. However, if I want to get to work in the local market town of Malton I would either get there at about 7.00 or 9.30.

Equally coming home at night I can catch a bus from the office at 4.30 or 5.30. But if I want to go out after work, either from the office or in Malton, then I will need a taxi back. Fine for me (occasionally, as luckily I don't have a social life) but not so great for my teens, whose miserable parent won't pay £12 every time they want to do something mad like go to the cinema or get a pizza with friends.

And today is Saturday, so I wanted to take my son into York to pick up last minute stuff for school. As it's a weekend we didn't rush for the 9.15 bus. After all they are every hour, aren't they?

Apparently not any more. Next bus is 11.15.

Now I am a great fan of public transport, but this is taking the mick.

And one of the problems for the bus company is the additional costs they have incurred with the introduction of free passes for pensioners. It's a great idea. People are using the buses extensively for days out to all the tourist places (York Scarborough, Whitby etc), as well as to get the weekly shop and so on. And they are going out more and travelling further than usual, including returning during the home rush hour.

As a result I am starting to see an increase of working age people using the York Park and Ride service ie driving to York each in their own car instead of all using the bus like we did before the pensioners got tickets. Because if we wait for the bus it may be too full to get home after work; and in one case a friend of mine was unable to board the last bus back to her village (the good old 5.30) and had to get a taxi instead.

Another good idea not thought through properly. And the result is increased car usage for those who can, and decreased service for the rest of us.

Update:
After posting this I got a call from one son who was stuck in York. He had failed to get onto 3 buses (over a two hour period) as they were all full of pensioners. Eventually he managed to get a train to Malton and we picked him up at 12.00 (he had tried to get the 9.30 bus in the first place so it only took him 2 1/2 hours to go 20 miles).

When I got to the head of the queue at the bus station to complain, they explained they had put on extra buses from both Leeds and Tadcaster, but they also filled up with pensioners. So effectively there was no bus service from York. Unbelievable!