Transport in London is shit

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We went to London, to Rise festival, a couple of months back. Left early, went for a drink in the early evening in Camden, decided to go for a curry in Brick Lane and then a quick pint. Got to Kings Cross to go home - it's closed! Not just the trains aren't running - the whole thign is closed. On a Saturday, at 12:00am. We sat in the cold for 4 hours before my girlfriends' angelic parents came and picked her up.
What kind of country do we live in where congestion is causing a major problem to our air and roads; where we are told public transport is a must; and where we're expected to go exploring the UK's riches (particularly in London) when it costs £20 to travel on a stinking, crowded train that's normally late and you can't even get home afterwards! No wonder I have a problem leaving Hitchin - it's only a few miles out of London, but oh no.

wogan lenin (dog latin), Monday, 11 September 2006 07:55 (seventeen years ago) link

> LT appears to have this warped idea that no-one actually uses the tube at weekends

no, i just think it knows (for sure) that LESS people use it at weekends.

i've started getting emails about weekend closures, somehow.

Koogy Yonderboy (koogs), Monday, 11 September 2006 08:08 (seventeen years ago) link

FEWER people. Naughty naughty Koogs!

PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 11 September 2006 08:13 (seventeen years ago) link

FEWER

xpost

a rapper singing about hos and bitches and money (Enrique), Monday, 11 September 2006 08:13 (seventeen years ago) link

I get the e-mails about weekend closures as well, which make it doubly irritating when the part of the network that is supposed to be running is suspended.

What really bugs me is that fairly outrageous, but fairly commonplace, situations - such as dog latin's above, or several hundred commuters being stuck underground for an hour before being led to safety - are just shrugged off.

Bob Six (bobbysix), Monday, 11 September 2006 10:18 (seventeen years ago) link

how much of this endless north london weekend tube shit is due to the new arsenal stadium?

dave q (listerine), Monday, 11 September 2006 10:43 (seventeen years ago) link

ARSENAL'S new stadium SYSTEM is messing up with our tube SYSTEM. etc.

i was running a bit late to work so cunningly thought it a great idea to go to work by tube cos it's quicker right? HELL NO i was stuck at a station for 20 minutes (time it takes for the bus to get to work), and what's the worst is the way the next train display thing LIES and tell me 6 mins when i get there and doesn't ever change.

everytime i use the tube it seems to let me down (but i am one of those lesser people who only really ever use the tube at weekends). Thameslink, on the other hand, is amazing.

ken c (ken c), Monday, 11 September 2006 12:48 (seventeen years ago) link

northern line is rarely faster than bus imo!

a rapper singing about hos and bitches and money (Enrique), Monday, 11 September 2006 12:49 (seventeen years ago) link

holloway road to warren st can be about 10 mins quicker by tube on a good day. just.. not today.

i guess i'm better off by bike. (or i was better off by bike, until some fucker stole it)

ken c (ken c), Monday, 11 September 2006 12:51 (seventeen years ago) link

I almost never use the tube (living in Streatham, you see, there is no tube but you can get buses to anywhere).

Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 11 September 2006 12:52 (seventeen years ago) link

I find the lying signs very annoying too, Ken. There could be a good excuse for the delays, but not for the obfuscation.

PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 11 September 2006 13:15 (seventeen years ago) link

What you have to remember is five Circle/Northern Line minutes = 20 Earth minutes.

Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 11 September 2006 13:19 (seventeen years ago) link

The problem, I guess, is when a train is stuck at a station six minutes away and isn't moving; the system can't cope with indeterminate delays. At least the National Rail system (Trust, I think it's called) will switch from an estimated delay time to just showing a vague "Delayed" in those circumstances.

Forest Pines (ForestPines), Monday, 11 September 2006 13:19 (seventeen years ago) link

The bus stop LCD readouts aren't much better. Many are the times when a 417 comes up to being 2 MINS due and then abruptly vanishes from the board, with no actual 417 on the horizon.

Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 11 September 2006 13:22 (seventeen years ago) link

The bus stop LCD readouts aren't much better.

Those things may as well just display the entire written works of L. Ron Hubbard, such is their relation to actual reality.

Venga (Venga), Monday, 11 September 2006 13:30 (seventeen years ago) link

>> LT appears to have this warped idea that no-one actually uses the tube at weekends
>no, i just think it knows (for sure) that LESS people use it at weekends.

But my point was that enough people do use it at weekends to make a mockery of the skeleton service that seems to operate every single Saturday and Sunday on the tube. I can barely recall a time when there was a regular Circle/H & C service at weekends!

If I were in charge, I would do exactly what the fuckers say they are anxious to avoid doing: close entire sections of line for, say, three or four weeks and get the bloody job done. Those Metronet numpties will never get anything done while they're ambling about on overtime at weekends and having 'late finishes' on Monday morning. It would be a pain in the arse if you live in say, East Finchley, but at least you knew it'd be over soon and you could actually plan your life around it.

darren (darren), Monday, 11 September 2006 13:36 (seventeen years ago) link

Where can I place a bet that the 2012 Olympics is going to have massive transport problems and go down in history as one of the worst fiascos in Olympic history?

Bob Six (bobbysix), Monday, 11 September 2006 14:01 (seventeen years ago) link

i doubt the athletes will be travelling by tube much.

a rapper singing about hos and bitches and money (Enrique), Monday, 11 September 2006 14:03 (seventeen years ago) link

Apparently Livingstone expects all the athletes to travel to the Lea Valley on foot or by bike, including from abroad, seeing how he doesn't like aeroplanes 'cos they're Tory oppression etc.

Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 11 September 2006 14:05 (seventeen years ago) link

two months pass...
no one noticed anything today then?

Bob Six (bobbysix), Monday, 20 November 2006 18:17 (seventeen years ago) link

colleagues said the tube was widespread fuxored. i myself had to walk halfway down Hackney Rd because stupid roadworks + lorries were causing gridlock round there.

2 american 4 u (blueski), Monday, 20 November 2006 18:23 (seventeen years ago) link

Had complete nightmare this morning, but coming home it was OK. My wife gave up on getting into work and went back home!

Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Monday, 20 November 2006 18:55 (seventeen years ago) link

someone at work said there is also a bus strike?

emsk ( emsk), Monday, 20 November 2006 18:57 (seventeen years ago) link

Uh yeah, that was the problem.

Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Monday, 20 November 2006 19:13 (seventeen years ago) link

actually quicker trip home than usual this evening.

Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Monday, 20 November 2006 20:52 (seventeen years ago) link

Compare NY and London subways:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_localtrans/documents/page/dft_localtrans_504022.hcsp

stet (stet), Monday, 20 November 2006 20:55 (seventeen years ago) link

nine months pass...

Jesus, simply trying to find out how much a travelcard to London costs becomes a lunatic gambit when trying to tackle the FCC website.

the next grozart, Monday, 10 September 2007 02:02 (sixteen years ago) link

you're all spoiled

roxymuzak, Monday, 10 September 2007 03:31 (sixteen years ago) link

A ridiculous thread, this. Londoners!

admrl, Monday, 10 September 2007 03:48 (sixteen years ago) link

how's that strike goin'?

hstencil, Monday, 10 September 2007 03:49 (sixteen years ago) link

Also the buses seem to be better every time I get back. But don't ever change, you total cunts.

xp

admrl, Monday, 10 September 2007 03:49 (sixteen years ago) link

I love this thread.

On Friday night I bought a single from Finchley Road to Ruislip for £3. This price seemed OK really, especially as I could get the fast train and change at Harrow for the Uxbridge one behind it.

blueski, Monday, 10 September 2007 10:30 (sixteen years ago) link

15 minute wait on the District line for a Richmond train this morning. Is this normal? Was at Earls Court so popped over to the Piccadilly and got a train instantly. Really I should bite the bullet and cycle no matter how tired or lazy I feel.

ledge, Monday, 10 September 2007 10:33 (sixteen years ago) link

brixton to hackney central: 133 + 48 is faster than the tube! i felt like i had discovered a wormhole

Tracer Hand, Monday, 10 September 2007 10:38 (sixteen years ago) link

Ruislip -> I find this to be an extremely funny name (when said in Dutch). Almost as funny as public transport in England.

nathalie, Monday, 10 September 2007 10:42 (sixteen years ago) link

i discovered the 272 bus on Saturday altho i didn't go on it (but i'd like to).

blueski, Monday, 10 September 2007 10:47 (sixteen years ago) link

o to live in a place where 15 minutes waiting for a bus is a long time

roxymuzak, Monday, 10 September 2007 17:41 (sixteen years ago) link

but then u would be complaining like us. you would become the very thing you DESPISE.

blueski, Monday, 10 September 2007 17:55 (sixteen years ago) link

four months pass...

The London Underground Victoria line will close early between Mondays and Thursdays from 4 February until late November 2008....

Passengers using the line after 21:45 will be asked to use alternative routes while overnight work takes place on a major upgrade of the line.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/7197.aspx

It's been like this for a lot of 2007 (from July through to November)- and no doubt this means it's going to be up the creek at weekends as well.

Bob Six, Sunday, 20 January 2008 14:32 (sixteen years ago) link

I missed out on Dr C's gig last night because the Hammersmith and City was out west on Kings Cross because clearly no one wants to do anything at the weekends.

Ed, Sunday, 20 January 2008 14:33 (sixteen years ago) link

"Full details of weekend closures will also be publicised nearer the time."

Bob Six, Sunday, 20 January 2008 14:38 (sixteen years ago) link

Seemed okay to me last month, although I chuckled every time the lovely voice announced that the Victoria line does not stop at Victoria station.

M.V., Sunday, 20 January 2008 15:47 (sixteen years ago) link

The "No smoking ANYWHERE on the underground" lady pisses me off. I wasn't gonna smoke, stop telling me off!

chap, Sunday, 20 January 2008 15:52 (sixteen years ago) link

Ed there's more than one way out west!

blueski, Sunday, 20 January 2008 16:37 (sixteen years ago) link

one month passes...

as much as i'm down with the message, these horrible mascots really piss me off

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/together-for-london-RHbanner.gif

should've drafted in natalie dee

blueski, Wednesday, 27 February 2008 13:59 (sixteen years ago) link

I want to hunt and kill the staff of TFL today. I got a £20 fine last night because the station I was going to didn't have a fucking Oyster reader, unlike every other station before it. I have zone 1-3 card but this was 1 bastard stop into zone 4. Just my fucking luck etc.

Colonel Poo, Wednesday, 27 February 2008 14:07 (sixteen years ago) link

figure on the left is based on blueski, surely?

DG, Wednesday, 27 February 2008 14:10 (sixteen years ago) link

should've drafted in natalie dee

^^^xkcd dude could have spoke to the children with these drawings. And then said something funny about wireless routing.

Dom Passantino, Wednesday, 27 February 2008 14:11 (sixteen years ago) link

something about the faces is really patronising. i guess the whole campaign is really.

blueski, Wednesday, 27 February 2008 14:32 (sixteen years ago) link


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