Jamesrob637
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I will be using my own car more in the short term particularly as it is low mileage, but I hope to be back on public transport in 2021.
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Changing travel habits after lockdown
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In that way it's bad - but in other ways it is good to see the focus on cycling and pedestrianisation in towns and cities.
The fact that the Transport Minister himself claims it's "our civic duty" to avoid public transport is a total death knell for the industry.
If that advice continues even as more lockdown measures are eased, we could end up in a situation where those without cars are able to live a normal life, but those of us without are still effectively stuck at home. And I'm struggling to see any other outcome long term other than route cuts and frequencies decreased - until this virus goes away (which is unlikely to happen), the government are always going to encourage us to avoid public transport.
and nationalisation
At the moment, it's just distant outdoor exercise that we can't engage with, other than perhaps waving at someone else from 2m, so we're not that disadvantaged.
If they do introduce further loosening of restrictions, but continue to ignore our needs, I think I'll have to start kicking up a fuss and raising the issue with the local MP, the press etc.
I've heard and read a lot of talk on the BBC from various people with various issues, but not from public transport users, probably because we're mainly in the same boat for now. But if things change we may need to be more vocal.
Pat1105
Member
I thought that the government encouraging people to walk or cycle to work rather than use public transport was a bit naive. The whole reason why people use public transport to get to work is because they can’t walk or cycle or don’t have a car. I for example (used to) do a 50 mile round trip everyday. There’s no way I could cycle that! It’s illegal to cycle on the motorway anyway! I don’t think we need more cycle lanes, wider pavements and pedestrianised areas. For one thing, its just another place for people to abandon their cars. Also, this may not be possible, especially in some towns such as Shrewsbury as the old infrastructure and layout/topography of the town won’t allow for it. Try cycling up Wyle Cop! It’s bad enough walking up it!
Mikey C
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That doesn't apply to everyone though. Some people live a borderline distance from work/school etc
Yes I could walk it, but it's cold/raining/I can't be bothered...
In a past life, I used to bus into work - only a 7 mile journey and easily bike-able. But the infrastructure wasn't there and for all the stick cyclists get, there's a lot of awful drivers on the road. The one time I did it, I was nearly run off the road twice.
Had there been segregated cycle lanes I'd have biked in, as my former employer had a bike to work scheme. Cities like Rotterdam are a perfect example of the opportunities out there.
thejuggler
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When they flatten the hills in Yorkshire I'll cycle to work.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Get an e-bike? That effectively does exactly that.
thejuggler
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I've checked the local bike recycling hub and they don't have £50 ebikes.
Bantamzen
Established Member
Didn't you get the memo, all hills are to be flattened in the coming year....
Don't they just help as opposed to taking over? Just looking at a couple of sites it seems that you still have to peddle, and that they are less useful with very steep hills, which funnily enough we have one or two of up here!
Spoken like true Yorkshireman! Award yer'sen a big mug of Yorkshire Tea! Or a pint!
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Yes, which is why they effectively flatten hills. I have never ridden one, so I can't comment on the extent that they do, but that's what they're basically for.
People need to be careful what they wish for. If their London job can be done from their home in Chelmsford, it can also be done from someone else's home in Chennai.
Bantamzen
Established Member
If they were that good, they'd be all over this area. However there seem to be very few indeed, possibly because there are lots of very steep hills which would mean even an ebike would still require a considerable amount of effort from the rider. I know from my years of cycling around the region, heading out north of Bradford towards the Dales requires a lot of effort.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
You'd think so, but my experience in the IT industry is that cultural and linguistic issues cause lack of understanding which mean that actually isn't true.
International outsourcing has its place, but it's not the risk that many think it is. If anything it was a bit of a fad of about 10 years ago.
Who said anything about outsourcing. I'm talking direct recruitment.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Most businesses don't have the resources to employ people directly in India etc. Almost all IT business there is outsourcers of some form.
IT is well ahead of the curve on homeworking (I've done it for 6-7 years myself) and so if this was going to be an issue this would have happened ages ago.
Oh, well that's settled then.
Envy123
Member
With the reintroduction of the Congestion charge soon and it being for more hours and more expensive, my mother is going back to public transport when her shop will be allowed to re-open.
Cheaper and less stressful.
Cheaper and less stressful.
Provided they had the same (or superior) skills, which will be incredibly specialist for many roles.
(Us office folk, believe it or not, aren't just bland identikit desk monkeys and have an incredibly diverse range of skills, expertise and specialisms that A.N.Other person can't just pick up overnight)
squizzler
Established Member
I am pleased to share leaked footage of the ministerial car carrying the Secretary of state for Transport to his next briefing:
Presumably some reverse psychology could come to the rescue of the transport industry. All those libertarians who insisted it was 'their right to drive' when it was official advice to use public transport where possible will have to start taking the bus now.
Envy123
Member
Not to mention that congestion charge is going to be back soon. If one is to encourage car travel over public transport, surely the congestion charge can wait until it's safer to do so?
Because it will be cheaper to do the train journey than drive, at least from where I live.
Because it will be cheaper to do the train journey than drive, at least from where I live.
While it may be an option for some in a lot of cases I think it won't be an option to walk otherwise they'd probably be walking instead of paying to get on the bus anyway. And for those who can, come winter I doubt a lot will want to carry on doing so when it gets cold.
One "changing travel habit" that I would like to see changed. Is more enforcement to stop people smoking on public transport and have them removed from the service as I've experienced countless examples of this over the past few years and i'd hope its something that doesn't return when the lockdown is eased. As I am personally 100% against those idiots who sit at the back of a double decker bus smoking.
And you'd also hope the people who beg for free rides which I saw multiple times in Sheldon at the start of 2020/or use out of date tickets disappear as well.
One "changing travel habit" that I would like to see changed. Is more enforcement to stop people smoking on public transport and have them removed from the service as I've experienced countless examples of this over the past few years and i'd hope its something that doesn't return when the lockdown is eased. As I am personally 100% against those idiots who sit at the back of a double decker bus smoking.
And you'd also hope the people who beg for free rides which I saw multiple times in Sheldon at the start of 2020/or use out of date tickets disappear as well.
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Enthusiast
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Back on Monday, as I understand.
Pat1105
Member
Interesting, I’ve never seen or smelt someone on a bus smoking. However, I don’t think that the amount of people ‘begging’ for free rides or using out of date tickets will decrease. Fare evasion will still very much exist after lockdown. Drivers always seem to be reluctant to challenge fare evasion, for obvious reasons.
squizzler
Established Member
Owning a motorcar only makes sense if you can somehow incorporate usage of said car into your lifestyle, as an alternative to the transport system.
With an increase in telecommuting, home delivery of groceries and so forth, the 'base load' of travel that justifies a car is much diminished. With a general desire to do more stuff at home, combined with a lack of destinations for the foreseeable future, the leisure excursions will be also reduced. The car is a burden that many households will forego, and was a trend before this outbreak.
Government requests that people use alternatives to the transport system have, as we have already seen, the same success as requests that motorists switch to the self same transport system prior to the outbreak. The modest gains there took decades which suggests it will probably take another couple of decades to slow down and turn round the supertanker which was already steaming in the direction from private motoring towards professional transport systems. The electric cars which we rely on to be a practical alternative to buses and metro in cities are not yet at the mass market stage.
All this taken into account, I'd wager that the motor trade is rattled to a much greater degree than the transport services.
With an increase in telecommuting, home delivery of groceries and so forth, the 'base load' of travel that justifies a car is much diminished. With a general desire to do more stuff at home, combined with a lack of destinations for the foreseeable future, the leisure excursions will be also reduced. The car is a burden that many households will forego, and was a trend before this outbreak.
Government requests that people use alternatives to the transport system have, as we have already seen, the same success as requests that motorists switch to the self same transport system prior to the outbreak. The modest gains there took decades which suggests it will probably take another couple of decades to slow down and turn round the supertanker which was already steaming in the direction from private motoring towards professional transport systems. The electric cars which we rely on to be a practical alternative to buses and metro in cities are not yet at the mass market stage.
All this taken into account, I'd wager that the motor trade is rattled to a much greater degree than the transport services.
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