2 december 2009, why can’t we do transport ?!?!?!

Wednesday 2nd December 2009

My trip home today. I arrived at the station in good time for the 18.55 on one of manchester’s supposedly best lines, to the airport. It arrived its reliably usual 5 minutes late. I got on. We waited. Ten minutes later it was announced there was no driver. A further 15 minutes later it was announced that the train was cancelled. I take the next train to piccadilly, supposedly the city’s jewel in the crown railway station. The 1970s screen on platform 13 is not working, so I traipse to the main concourse to find out the next train – the 19.37. A few minutes before it is due to depart, it is cancelled. There is a slow 19.46 to wilmslow. I take it. Arriving finally at heald green, I try to take off my bike lock. The key breaks in the lock. I spend 5 minutes pointlessly trying to break through solid steel, and then give up and walk home. I arrive 20.45 – almost exactly 2 hours after I left the office. I’d like to contrast that to my worst ever train journey in almost seven years daily commute in germany. Once, the train arrived a minute late. That’s it. We’re just not very good at public transport in this country are we ? Swings and roundabouts, I guess – but didn’t feel like it tonight.