Sustainable transport - that means forget the car

I travelled to Holland with my partner last weekend and in a commuter centre between Amsterdam Centraal Station and Schipol Airport I saw a park and ride which was about 2 Euro per day. The ironic thing was that it was only about a quarter full of cars on a weekday. 

Unlike this, the cycle storage facilities were vast, well used and in good condition.  Why is this? Well, in my opinion the modern, clean public transport is the reason with commuter trains like this:

How ironic that it's the same organisation, Nederlandse Spoorwegen, which operates these trains and some of the shocking commuter stock in the UK under the brand "Abellio" (Northern & Merseyrail are joint ventures with Serco and Greater Anglia).

The Dutch have the mindset and the infrastructure to provide and use good quality public transport, whilst the UK, having minimal cycle facilities and few segregated cycle lanes, view bikes as a dangerous and risky option.

Professional site fashion

For those who have met me, you'll know that my working attire varies greatly.

When in a client office based environment shirt & tie, for clients who don't wear ties, I dont wear one after a few visits. Seminars & professional meetings I wear a suit. Which brings me to the next option, site clothing...

Today Ive been working at a railway depot doing a waste audit with the ppe rule being safety boots. Now,Im not going to lug my pair of lovely broken in #goretex boots in a bag, so I cleaned them up a bit & wore them for the journey. So, Im wearing safety boots, a fetching DIEM polo shirt & work cargo trousers. Accompanied were a DIEM branded rail orange rucksack & DIEM baseball cap (isnt Vistaprint great!).

So I look like a regular working guy, which I am.

Now, I can enjoy myself in the most lofty company or down Ewood WMC before the game but I have never been looked down at like this trip.

Virgin Trains staff have been great, but my fellow 1st clas passengers haven't. Now this isnt a blog about the working class Blackburn lad done good, its just to say I dont care what Im dressed like! Fellow passengers, you should be glad Ive been working on an offtrack rail depot, not a sewage works!

Discombobulated carbon

Heard that the EA are giving free construction carbon calculator training. My response is "why". The calulator is self explanatory and time would be better spent with clients engaging with their supply chains to what benefits it the calculator going to give.

I went to such a supply chain event recently with a client and a main contractor was totally honest in saying carbon was going to win & lose them contracts and their supply chain can help and also reap the rewards in work.

Whilst the EA have been really helpful recently, their staff potentially travelling around delivering seminars reminds me on the waste of money when WRAP delivered halving waste to landfill sessions at 5 star hotels (the buffet was good) and the terrible SWMP workshops years ago.

Its time for public money to be saved and private sector supply chains work together in upskilling staff in carbon calculators as throwing money at it doesnt have commercial sence in still a struggling economy.

Dirty, slow, expensive and uncomfortable. A cautionary tale for rail. #trainpain

I had the most uncomfortable rail journey ever yesterday between Formby and Ramsgreave & Wilpshire (near Blackburn) and I feel I should share my thoughts.

The first leg was actually not too bad on Merseyrail as it was fast, frequent on old but refurbished and clean stock.

I had to change at Southport where things got bad when passengers were shoehorned class 142 Pacer, a train which was not fit for service when new. The train got quite busy and ironically on a train bound for Manchester Airport, passengers with cases coudln't get them down the narrow isle very easily.

The seat was the most uncomfortable I have experienced on public transport and the ride quality was bordering on the terrifying.

Thinkfully I had to change in Bolton when I travelled on a class 150 Sprinter. Whilst more comfortable the unit smelt of urine and it was really dirty.

Why does Merseyrail, owned by the same Serco/Albellio JV keep its trains clean, whilst sister company Northern Rail never clean them? When I mean clean I don't mean pick up some litter, I mean scrub, wash, polish etc. By the layers of dirt and grime "infrequently" is the word I'm going to politely use.

My view is that with Merseyrail being a consession let be the regional travel authority Merseytravel, there are higher service levels than on a franchise let the more standard route.

Sadly the Northern Rail journey passed through many political districts in Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen which rediculously is not in Lancashire.

The only saving grace was that the train was on time, despite it taking 2 hrs 7 mins for a journey I could have driven in 55 mins. Why travel this way, well I want to reduce carbon and also fancied a change from driving, even though my ticket cost over £17.

However, with franchises only being worries about financial penalties for late running trains, there is little apparent focus on passenger compfort.

There needs to be more of a focus on passengers in the North West and not let another franchise on the basis to keep old and work stock on the rails.

I've heard people say travel is about the journey and not the destination, but yesterday I just wanted to get off.