Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Why are buses getting slower? In "Buses and other ways to travel" [380089/32544/5] Posted by eightonedee at 23:28, 26th September 2026 |      |
Going back to the Guardian article referred to by MarkA, there are a number of questions raised that are not addressed by what I thought was something of a rambling, unfocused piece.
Firstly, there's no mention of the impact of other competing modes of public transport. The reduction in the number of journeys since 2013 quoted (300m), most of which occurred after Covid, is not that different to the number of passengers now carried by the Elizabeth Line (254m) which opened at about the same time. The Overground seems to have improved and is now marketed much more actively, and although the traditional tube lines have (I understand) lost out to the Elizabeth Line, this must make them more attractive to anyone who used buses in the past to avoid the crush of the Tube. Is this as much a "modal shift" caused by investment in other modes of transport?
Secondly, there seems some confusion in the message or conclusion of the piece. It starts off on the tack that "delays are driving passengers from the buses in London", but later produces some international comparisons showing that actually bus speeds have not declined significantly in London compared to the selection of 11 other major cities overseas for which comparable figures have been obtained. Having waffled on about Livingstone's bendy buses, Boris's "new" Routemasters and Kahn's electric buses (none of which are relevant to the issue of what is causing any delays), there's then an attempt to explain growing delays on various causes, ignoring the international comparison graphic showing just a 1% reduction in bus speeds since 2013, and not instead looking at whether the greater delays in cities such as Singapore, Paris or Dublin have resulted in even greater reduction in passenger numbers.
Thirdly, the graphic showing the increase in delays across Greater London does show a marked geographical variation that is not commented upon nor investigated. There's a sector across the west, largely between the A40 in the north-west and A3 in the south-west where almost all routes show the higher reduction in speeds (annoyingly, the scale is not shown, but if the colour segments are consistent, it looks like most are 12% slower or more, whereas there are many areas where the delays are under 4%). Why is this? Is it reflected in a greater decrease in ridership in West London?
Is it just me, or is anyone else frustrated by the lack of insight shown by so many transport articles like this that appear in what is meant to be "the quality press"?
| Re: A Day Out Chasing Clan Line - aka A Day of Missed Connections and Opportunities In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [380088/32549/47] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 23:25, 26th September 2026 | |
Many thanks for your illustrated post, PhilWakely.
This is no reflection on, nor blame attached to, our Coffee Shop forum member here, Clan Line - just to clarify.
CfN.
| A Day Out Chasing Clan Line - aka A Day of Missed Connections and Opportunities In "Heritage railways, Railtours, buses, canals, steamships and other public transport based attractions" [380087/32549/47] Posted by PhilWakely at 23:08, 26th September 2026 | |
I wanted to chase Clan Line to Kemble today (Saturday, 26th September 2026) as she was pulling the UK Railtours Worcester Pullman. The plan was......
06:33 Pinhoe to Exeter St David's;
07:00 Exeter St David's to Reading;
<hopefully phot Clan Line passing Reading at 09:48>
09:58 Reading to Kemble
<hopefully phot Clan Line from the train as we overtake her in the Thames Valley>
<phot Clan Line entering Kemble and during her 20 minute stopover>
12:49 Kemble to Swindon;
13:13 Swindon to Westbury;
13:58 Westbury to Exeter St David's.
FELL AT THE FIRST!
06:33 Pinhoe to Exeter St David's was 13 minutes late and arrived at St David's just as the 07:00 to Paddington was pulling out, so quick change of plan...
07:30 Exeter St David's to Didcot Parkway (Via Bristol TM)
<phot Clan Line passing Didcot Parkway>
<phot Clan Line from my passing train as she took on water just west of Didcot>
10:12 Didcot Parkway to Kemble;
FAILURE NUMBER 2 as Clan Line was running late and passed Didcot just as my train to Kemble was pulling out!
Oh well, all should be fine at Kemble as Clan Line was due a 20 minute stopover and should be clear of any Up services!
How wrong I was! FAILURE NUMBER 3 as the Up 11:49 Paddington service pulled into the platform 10 minutes late just as Clan Line was arriving! So, the planned platform level shot of Clan Line was sacrificed for a shot from the footbridge. Oh well, at least a shot from the top of the platform was on as Clan Line stopped for the planned 20 minutes - holding up a late running Down Cheltenham service that should have passed 12 minutes ahead of Clan Line!
I departed Kemble as planned at 12:49 to connect with the TransWilts service at 13:13.
FAILURE NUMBER 4 as the TransWilts was held at Swindon for 8 minutes to allow a late running Down Bristol service to pass, thus resulting in a Westbury arrival just as my Exeter St David's service was departing!
Oh well, a chance for a two hour kip in the Westbury waiting room!
| Re: First Bus pulling out of Cornwall, 14.2.2026 In "Buses and other ways to travel" [380086/31133/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 22:56, 26th September 2026 | |
Thank you for your informative and tactful update post here, LiskeardRich.
I note the wording in your profile footer text: we have no problem with that.
Chris from Nailsea.
| Re: The M23 Flixbus incident In "Buses and other ways to travel" [380084/32528/5] Posted by LiskeardRich at 22:25, 26th September 2026 | |
Flixbus - the Ryanair of buses? 
Again, that is my personal opinion, certainly not the official view from the Coffee Shop forum.
CfN.
Again, that is my personal opinion, certainly not the official view from the Coffee Shop forum.
CfN.
Worse, based on my encounters of them!
| Re: Why are buses getting slower? In "Buses and other ways to travel" [380083/32544/5] Posted by LiskeardRich at 22:24, 26th September 2026 | |
When a central door is fitted the wheelchair access is normally through the central door due to logistics with the interior created by the central door. The layout between single and double door buses are quite different.
Most central door buses can’t use bus stations as wheelchair users have no way of accessing the bus, due to the platform length not reaching the centre door.
| Re: When the bus's card reader rejects your debit card. In "Buses and other ways to travel" [380082/32539/5] Posted by LiskeardRich at 22:19, 26th September 2026 Already liked by Chris from Nailsea, Western Pathfinder | |
At my employer, our machines are offline. They’ll take payment when next connected to a company wifi network.
Some bank cards do not allow offline transactions, and the prefix numbers of the card indicate this, they’ll automatically decline.
If a customer has used a card that allows offline, but it’s been declined when collection of funds attempted later, that card number is added to a “hotlist”. A card remains hotlisted for a period of time, and will not work.
If a transaction fails we are instructed to repeat no more than 3 attempts.
We are instructed to allow travel, and ask the customer to attempt to purchase a valid ticket through the company app (online live transactions), if they have no cash.
Majority of passengers we will invite to sit down, and not worry too much. Issue a zero fare ticket, so the company have a record of where this has happened, if there’s a pattern that a zero fare is being issued at the same stop same time every day they’ll consider sending management to investigate.
As drivers we are told not to create conflict, and reminded we are out there alone. It isn’t worth delaying 50-100 other people or get assaulted or worse over a fare of £3. Lost revenue in this situation is estimated to be tiny. (This applies to where I work, and other operators may have different expectations on policies for drivers to adhere to)
Under no circumstances are we to leave a vulnerable person, or someone who could be at risk if we leave them behind. In my opinion anyone can be vulnerable, many disabilities are invisible. So I’ll never leave anyone behind unless they’re endangering safety of the bus.
| Re: First Bus pulling out of Cornwall, 14.2.2026 In "Buses and other ways to travel" [380081/31133/5] Posted by LiskeardRich at 22:08, 26th September 2026 | |
I was talking to a Liskeard driver about this a few days ago. He doesn’t believe there are many RMT members. He said RMT subs are quadruple the Unite weekly subs.
He said in his opinion this is being created by Ex reps from First who had easy jobs created by First management, who are now having to do proper work.
He doesn’t fear that this action will have much impact, as it’s little more than an overtime ban, and with so few RMT members it shouldn’t make much difference losing a few hours overtime.
I believe RMT may also be in breach of the TUC Bridlington Principles which date back to the 1930s.
A trade union is explicitly forbidden from organizing or recruiting a group of workers if another TUC-affiliated union already has an established negotiating relationship or majority membership with that employer
| Re: To 'stockpile food' is now our Government's official policy, apparently In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [380079/32456/31] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:59, 26th September 2026 Already liked by eightonedee | |
.... you find that Butlins Minehead has been obliterated ...
Sorry: did I say that out loud?
| Re: Heathrow Airport - plans for expansion: ongoing discussion, merged posts In "Buses and other ways to travel" [380078/22971/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 21:39, 26th September 2026 | |
An update, from the BBC:
Heathrow Airport warns third runway could be delayed by four years
Heathrow Airport has warned that its planned third runway might be delayed by four years due to planning and regulatory issues.
The government had hoped the new runway at the UK's busiest airport, estimated to cost £33bn, would open by 2035. But Heathrow sees this deadline as increasingly difficult to deliver without further steps to simplify the planning process. It said on Saturday that it hoped to secure planning permission by 2029 and then open the runway "within a decade".
The Department for Transport (DfT) said the project's timeline had "always been ambitious" and that it would continue to work with stakeholders "at pace" on the matter.
The airport said its "core scenario" had always been to open a new runway within a decade of securing planning permission.
It said it was encouraged by the chancellor's efforts to streamline infrastructure and remove regulatory bottlenecks, and promised to continue to work with ministers, airlines and stakeholders to "progress the planning application with pace".
Former chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the government's support for the project in January 2025 as a means to grow the economy, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham - who was previously critical - said he was "open-minded" about the scheme when he came to office.
Despite attracting wide opposition from environmental campaigners and local resident groups, the project is expected to create around 100,000 jobs and provide a major boost to the economy as part of a wider £49bn modernisation of the airport.
The expansion would mean demolishing hundreds of homes, diverting rivers, and rerouting the M25 motorway between junctions 14 and 15 through a tunnel under the new runway.
The number of flights from the site, currently capped at 480,000 a year, could go up to 720,000 - or nearly 2,000 a day on average.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has always opposed the new runway, warning of the impact on noise, air pollution and climate change.
The government's climate advisers warned last week that the expansion should only go ahead if airlines were required to pay for cleaner flying, which could push up the cost of flights.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the advisers had set out "one view" but there was "more than one pathway to meeting our climate change obligations", in an interview with the Daily Telegraph published on Friday.
A draft of the planning framework for the expansion was published in June this year for consultation. Once finalised, it then needs to be put to a parliamentary vote, which could reportedly be delayed until 2027.
A DfT spokesperson said: "There is currently no live planning application for a third runway, and we cannot comment on ongoing consultation processes or prejudice them in a way that will only delay progress. The timeline has always been ambitious. We'll continue to work with promoters, including Heathrow, and all other stakeholders at pace to ensure the right framework is in place for which a planning application for a third runway could be considered."
A spokesperson for Heathrow said: "It's right that ambitious targets were set; the sooner expansion begins, the sooner the whole UK will benefit."
They said the benefits would involve "at least 108,000 new jobs and billions of pounds invested in supply chains in every part of the country. This is a national project, 100% privately financed which will support growth today and secure the UK's position in the global economy once the runway opens."
Heathrow is the UK's busiest airport, serving more than 80 million travellers a year with its four passenger terminals and two runways.
Heathrow Airport has warned that its planned third runway might be delayed by four years due to planning and regulatory issues.
The government had hoped the new runway at the UK's busiest airport, estimated to cost £33bn, would open by 2035. But Heathrow sees this deadline as increasingly difficult to deliver without further steps to simplify the planning process. It said on Saturday that it hoped to secure planning permission by 2029 and then open the runway "within a decade".
The Department for Transport (DfT) said the project's timeline had "always been ambitious" and that it would continue to work with stakeholders "at pace" on the matter.
The airport said its "core scenario" had always been to open a new runway within a decade of securing planning permission.
It said it was encouraged by the chancellor's efforts to streamline infrastructure and remove regulatory bottlenecks, and promised to continue to work with ministers, airlines and stakeholders to "progress the planning application with pace".
Former chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the government's support for the project in January 2025 as a means to grow the economy, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham - who was previously critical - said he was "open-minded" about the scheme when he came to office.
Despite attracting wide opposition from environmental campaigners and local resident groups, the project is expected to create around 100,000 jobs and provide a major boost to the economy as part of a wider £49bn modernisation of the airport.
The expansion would mean demolishing hundreds of homes, diverting rivers, and rerouting the M25 motorway between junctions 14 and 15 through a tunnel under the new runway.
The number of flights from the site, currently capped at 480,000 a year, could go up to 720,000 - or nearly 2,000 a day on average.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has always opposed the new runway, warning of the impact on noise, air pollution and climate change.
The government's climate advisers warned last week that the expansion should only go ahead if airlines were required to pay for cleaner flying, which could push up the cost of flights.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the advisers had set out "one view" but there was "more than one pathway to meeting our climate change obligations", in an interview with the Daily Telegraph published on Friday.
A draft of the planning framework for the expansion was published in June this year for consultation. Once finalised, it then needs to be put to a parliamentary vote, which could reportedly be delayed until 2027.
A DfT spokesperson said: "There is currently no live planning application for a third runway, and we cannot comment on ongoing consultation processes or prejudice them in a way that will only delay progress. The timeline has always been ambitious. We'll continue to work with promoters, including Heathrow, and all other stakeholders at pace to ensure the right framework is in place for which a planning application for a third runway could be considered."
A spokesperson for Heathrow said: "It's right that ambitious targets were set; the sooner expansion begins, the sooner the whole UK will benefit."
They said the benefits would involve "at least 108,000 new jobs and billions of pounds invested in supply chains in every part of the country. This is a national project, 100% privately financed which will support growth today and secure the UK's position in the global economy once the runway opens."
Heathrow is the UK's busiest airport, serving more than 80 million travellers a year with its four passenger terminals and two runways.
| Re: Tidy bridge removal from West Coast Main Line In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [380076/32547/51] Posted by ChrisB at 21:08, 26th September 2026 | |
Strewth! Are they holding a disco? Unnecessary, I feel
| Could an iced coffee freeze you out of the job market? In "The Lighter Side" [380075/32548/30] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 20:53, 26th September 2026 | |
From the BBC:
Could an iced coffee freeze you out of the job market?
Would you bring an iced coffee to a job interview?
The question on the internet's lips this week started life, as many do, in a TikTok video.
"Don't waltz into your interview all casual with an iced coffee, it just looks like you didn't have time to finish your coffee beforehand," said US recruiter Caitlin Wehniainen.
It's what her Gen Z job candidates are doing, she said, warning it makes it look like the interview is "just a stop on your list of errands for the day".
The post has started what Wehniainen calls the Great Iced Coffee Debate of 2026.
Some believe turning up with an iced matcha latte in hand is a cardinal sin. They say it's unprofessional, too informal, and a distraction.
Others feel this is an overreaction - distracting from how difficult it is to secure a job - or even just get an interview in the first place.
In a subsequent LinkedIn post, Wehniainen says she "was never saying that bringing coffee makes someone a bad candidate. My point was simply about avoiding distractions."
(BBC article continues)
Would you bring an iced coffee to a job interview?
The question on the internet's lips this week started life, as many do, in a TikTok video.
"Don't waltz into your interview all casual with an iced coffee, it just looks like you didn't have time to finish your coffee beforehand," said US recruiter Caitlin Wehniainen.
It's what her Gen Z job candidates are doing, she said, warning it makes it look like the interview is "just a stop on your list of errands for the day".
The post has started what Wehniainen calls the Great Iced Coffee Debate of 2026.
Some believe turning up with an iced matcha latte in hand is a cardinal sin. They say it's unprofessional, too informal, and a distraction.
Others feel this is an overreaction - distracting from how difficult it is to secure a job - or even just get an interview in the first place.
In a subsequent LinkedIn post, Wehniainen says she "was never saying that bringing coffee makes someone a bad candidate. My point was simply about avoiding distractions."
(BBC article continues)
| Re: Special timetables - dry trackbed and leaf season In "The Lighter Side" [380074/32543/30] Posted by ChrisB at 20:53, 26th September 2026 | |
London Underground go on to January 12th.....
| Tidy bridge removal from West Coast Main Line In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [380073/32547/51] Posted by Mark A at 20:50, 26th September 2026 | |
The Network Rail press release include video footage.
https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/footage-released-after-emergency-footbridge-removal-over-the-west-coast-main-line
| Re: Special timetables - dry trackbed and leaf season In "The Lighter Side" [380072/32543/30] Posted by Surrey 455 at 20:48, 26th September 2026 | |
We have the South Western Main line slowed because the clay of the trackbed is drying out, but I haven't heard about leaf fall season timetables yet this year. Have I been sleeping?
SWR leaf fall timetable started last week.https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey/autumn-weather-conditions
| Re: When the bus's card reader rejects your debit card. In "Buses and other ways to travel" [380071/32539/5] Posted by Surrey 455 at 20:45, 26th September 2026 | |
I do not know the full answer to this. However, watching the current "Fare Dodger" programme on Ch 5 implies that on TfL a debit card with no credit will just keep on working the barriers and racking up thousands in unpaid fares. So this seems to mean that public transport systems do not always recognise a cancelled card.
Wiser heads may be able to comment with more certainty?
Wiser heads may be able to comment with more certainty?
My understanding of the TfL system is that it works in "transit" mode, an offline mode to speed up boarding and similarly at ticket barriers. Everytime you tap your card is recorded and eventually uploaded to TfL central computer who then calculate how much to charge you. They will try to take the funds in the early hours of the morning. If the card is declined, I think they try again and if still declined they will block your card at every terminal and gateline until you contact them to pay up.
From TfL
2.19 If your card is declined when we submit it for payment, you authorise us to
seek to take payment using your card details again on a number of additional
occasions until we receive the full payment. This payment will show in your bank
account as TFL.GOV.UK/CP TFL UNPAID FA. We will not seek payment on more
than three occasions nor more than once a day nor for longer than 30 days after
your payment was declined.
2.20 If your card is declined when we submit it for payment, we will also attempt to
collect any unpaid fares the next time you touch your card or device on a yellow card
reader or a portable card reader held by staff. You can sign in to your TfL online
account to pay any unpaid fares, or call TfL Customer Services.
2.21 If you have unpaid fares for previous travel, you will not be permitted to travel
using the contactless card that has unpaid fares against it until the amount owed has
been paid in full.
seek to take payment using your card details again on a number of additional
occasions until we receive the full payment. This payment will show in your bank
account as TFL.GOV.UK/CP TFL UNPAID FA. We will not seek payment on more
than three occasions nor more than once a day nor for longer than 30 days after
your payment was declined.
2.20 If your card is declined when we submit it for payment, we will also attempt to
collect any unpaid fares the next time you touch your card or device on a yellow card
reader or a portable card reader held by staff. You can sign in to your TfL online
account to pay any unpaid fares, or call TfL Customer Services.
2.21 If you have unpaid fares for previous travel, you will not be permitted to travel
using the contactless card that has unpaid fares against it until the amount owed has
been paid in full.
| Re: Special timetables - dry trackbed and leaf season In "The Lighter Side" [380070/32543/30] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 20:40, 26th September 2026 | |
Oh, leave it out, you amateur comedians.
| Article on the Heathrow Express (and a touch of mission creep) In "Thames Valley Branches" [380069/32546/13] Posted by Mark A at 19:31, 26th September 2026 | |
It's from the Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/sep/26/kill-off-heathrow-express-airport-train-third-runway
| Re: When the bus's card reader rejects your debit card. In "Buses and other ways to travel" [380067/32539/5] Posted by Clan Line at 18:23, 26th September 2026 | |
............ a debit card with no credit will just keep on working the barriers and racking up thousands in unpaid fares.
[/quote]
I suspect that the machines are designed to work locally and the details are updated at the end of the day.
I can remember, many moons ago, using a UK debit card in an ATM in Washington DC. The receipt informed me that my balance was now $99,950. I assumed that there was no real time link to the ATM and numbers were just totalled daily/weekly or something. I didn't try the balance any further !!!
| Re: When the bus's card reader rejects your debit card. In "Buses and other ways to travel" [380066/32539/5] Posted by eXPassenger at 18:09, 26th September 2026 | |
Unless the ticket machine has a signal it cannot validate the debit card. I suspect that the machines are designed to work locally and the details are updated at the end of the day. Procedures to pass a black list of bounced debit cards back to all the ticket machines would then prevent future use of the card for n days.
| Re: Torquay, The Strand proposed £70m hotel development. In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [380065/32545/31] Posted by REVUpminster at 17:24, 26th September 2026 | |
The plans were approved last Wednesday 23 September 2026 at a planning committee meeting just for this project.
There were a number of written objections mainly from residents in the flats in The Terrace which have mostly been converted back to residential from offices. They are very expensive. In the image above you can see them and the two new hotels recently built; Premier Inn on council land by the car park and the Hampton Hilton which the council kick started. The police recently closed a brothel next to the Hampton in The Terrace; they should not have advertised.
There were five speakers against and three for. It's all on youtube. The vote was in two parts. The first for the site as a whole which passed six for and two abstentions, none against.
The second for the listed bank building which has been empty for 8 years with no prospective user to be incorporated into the hotel was passed unanimously.
The council thinking was that this was in a core tourism area and not suitable for residential. A recent report on hotels stated in Devon and Cornwall accommodation is split 50/50 between low end/high end rooms but in Torbay it was split 25/75. Torbay often cite this as the reason they can no longer attract conferences and the like. They recognise many of the lower grade hotels will go to the wall, but they will be brownfield sites for new build or conversion to residential to tackle the housing shortage in Torbay. Many hotels have already gone down this route. The latest being The Seascape which of late been used by other councils to house there homeless. It's the fate of many seaside towns with an over supply of substandard hotels and B&Bs.
There are three new hotels in Torquay and two in Paignton. Others have been upgrading their buildings.
| Torquay, The Strand proposed £70m hotel development. In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [380064/32545/31] Posted by REVUpminster at 16:59, 26th September 2026 | |
Torbay council took the opportunity to buy the main Debenhams building and a smaller property in The Strand in spring 2020 to prevent the key site from falling out of use if the store closed. Debenhams closed in May 2021.
Torbay Council wanted to regenerate the site with a mixed development of flats and commercial use including restaurants at street level, but because of existing properties one empty shop (No 9) and a closed bank branch (No8 a listed building) and three flats accessed from the Terrace behind they did not own; the 16 flats first proposed in April 2022 on the site of the main Debenhams building did not prove viable.
A Torquay The Strand existing area under redevelopment by Robert, on FlickrThe whole area was looked at again and included the two empty properties and No7 which they owned and the tenant has since relocated to Fleet Walk around the corner. Taco Bell have since occupied No 9.
The new plan was for a 144 bedroom 4* hotel with rooftop bar. The bigger higher priced rooms to the front and three/four retail units. The bulk of the hotel will be on the main Debenhams site. A central staircase (stepped street) will lead from The Strand to The Terrace.
Screenshot 2026-09-26 120621 by Robert, on FlickrThe hotel stretches across the whole of the site on three floors leaving only the listed building's frontage which will be restored. The new build will be raised up over the projected flood risk levels.
Screenshot 2025-07-04 200216 by Robert, on Flickr| Re: When the bus's card reader rejects your debit card. In "Buses and other ways to travel" [380062/32539/5] Posted by WSW Frome at 15:35, 26th September 2026 | |
I do not know the full answer to this. However, watching the current "Fare Dodger" programme on Ch 5 implies that on TfL a debit card with no credit will just keep on working the barriers and racking up thousands in unpaid fares. So this seems to mean that public transport systems do not always recognise a cancelled card.
Wiser heads may be able to comment with more certainty?
| Re: Why are buses getting slower? In "Buses and other ways to travel" [380060/32544/5] Posted by johnneyw at 14:11, 26th September 2026 | |
The Metrobus vehicles have a central exit door, something which was common on city routes in the past. Can't help wondering why this is not a feature on other city buses?
Historically, might it be because the central doors proved something of an incentive for fare dodgers in the past? On a crowded bus and away from the eyes of the driver it would certainly present such opportunities especially in the days before onboard cameras were commonplace.
