Damn This Traffic Jam...How I hate to be Late...
This morning I travelled the eight miles from my home to my place of work in 29 minutes. Now, considering my house sits within the outer ring of the proposed congestion charge area and my workplace is in the inner ring of the proposed congestion charge area I can, on this evidence, only come to one conclusion. Manchester is not very congested.Yes it gets busy at times - usually due to a breakdown, accident or - more often - a road closure or lane closure, but, on the whole traffic moves. It's not like that there London. The only time in the past couple of years that Manchester has been gridlocked was when bus companies flooded the more profitable routes into the city in an attempt to drive each other out of business. Yes it was public transport what did the damage m'lud, public transport.
So, what's it all about then? The congestion charge? At today's prices it would cost me £5 a day to drive to and from work - on top of petrol, insurance, tax and garage bills. £100+ a month for the privelege of not having to walk a mile to the train station to catch an unreliable train service into Manchester Victoria before catching a tram to Trafford Bar or Old Trafford station. £100+ a month instead of £27 a week for 7 day saver card that will allow me to travel via bus, train or tram: I make that £100+. No contest. Nice warm car with Radio Four, Five or music of my choice or a freezing cold slow and unreliable bus, train or tram with somebody else's tinny racket filtering through their MP3 player's headphones - if I'm lucky, more often than not - in my experience - they just play their music out of their pitifully inadequate mobile phones.
Oooops sorry...I nearly forgot, public transport will have improved that much by 2013 it will be unrecognisable. It will a pleasure to use. Fast, safe, cheap and reliable.
Ha ha ha hee hee hee hee ha ha ha ha ha hee hee hee ha ha hee hee hee hee ha ha ha ha ha hee hee hee ha ha hee hee hee hee ha ha ha ha ha hee hee hee ha ha hee hee hee hee ha ha ha ha ha hee hee hee ha ha hee hee hee hee ha ha ha ha ha hee hee hee ha ha hee hee hee hee ha ha ha ha ha hee hee hee ha ha hee hee hee hee ha ha ha ha ha hee hee hee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I predict massive losses by the Labour Party in the area come the next local elections and more importantly the next General Election. Not only is the Party unpopular on a national level, locally it has just put a noose around it's neck and the electorate are just waiting to kick away the chair. The argument in favour of the congestion charge lacks rigour - a charge that is supposed to be applied in order to cut congestion and stop traffic heading into Manchester is also the charge that will fund the improvements in the public transport system. Hmmmmmmmm.......Run that by me again.
I wonder what plans they have for those of us who live within the 'zone'? Prisoners in our own homes until 9:30am.
Pity the poor worker. Once again bearing the brunt while the hideously rich carry on just like before and the bone idle and feckless lie in bed.
Where's me tablets?
I'm off to Hamburg next weekend on my eldest son's stag weekend. I'll be the oldest there by twenty years or so and when I get back I'll probably be the oldest by 40 years or so. The things you do for love.
The Acoustic Festival was a good laugh - apart from the ever-present wind and the rain. We lost the gazebo on the last day, but that was better than losing the tent like a lot of others did The highlights for me were Glen Tilbrook, Donavon, Midge Ure (surprisingly good -Vienna on acoustic guitar anyone?) and the incredible Gordon Giltrap.
The beer tents sold Spitfire and Oranjeboom at £3 a pint and the food stalls were eclectic and reasonable.
Would I go again? Yes. In a Winnebago with all mod cons.
Piccy time.
Makes you feel safe doesn't he? Cameraphone.
Shed Door.
Donavon brings good vibes to the big tent.
Power mad.
Bin, chips, bike.
Spitfire sunset.
Sun, beer, music.
The tangerine cowboy hat.
Warm.
That's all folks.
