[sheerwater]

In an effort to avoid speed cameras , traffic wardens (sorry pet hates!!!) I have tried to use public transport and abandoned hope. The system seems to work if you are unemployed, an old age pensioner or anyone else who has some time on their hands. It does not however work for the majority of people trying to earn a living. Twice my wife tried to go from Northampton to Manchester for business / training only to find that the earliest train arrived an hour to late at the station (with further travel after that) . I recently tried to travel between Melton Mowbray and Northampton only to find the train took a circuit starting by travelling 40 miles in the wrong direction. Even then it was impossible to catch a bus to the station fom my starting point as they only travel a couple of times a day and then my final destination involved two further buses. Similarly we were going to send our daughter home on her own from Hereford to Northampton by train until we discovered that there were three changes of train and knowing the unreliability of connections we were not inclined to take the risk. Even today a friend who works in London, lives in Northampton had his train from Wellingborough cancelled. He was bused to Northampton actually passing his own house on the way!!!! I think that we lost the plot years ago when Dr.Beeching closed all the railway stations and the corporations tore up all the tram lines. Anyone feel the same? Cheers Nige PS I see that BT is going to stop its engineers using vans in London to fix the phones. Dont hold you breath if your phone goes dead.