Re: Sour grapes at MML

jmcomms@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

I have to say that modern coaches do look rather comfortable, and I've
been on some pretty decent rail replacement coaches operated by
National Express, on behalf of FCC.

Even modern buses, from Scania or Mercedes Benz, are pretty amazing
too. I certainly don't begrudge taking a bus to the train station, and
find it funny sometimes when people slag off other methods of
transport even though they probably get upset when people slag off
their chosen form. Don't rail users always hate it when car drivers
say "don't use smelly trains"? Why assume all coaches are like that?


I couldn't agree more. The hypocrisy implicit in the regular
criticism of buses on this newsgroup is laughable.

When I lived in Scarborough I was a regular user of the buses because
they were clean, comfortable, fast and cheap as well as extremely
convenient. Almost every railway journey I made from the town began
or ended (sometimes both) with a bus ride. The buses were cleaner and
more punctual than the trains.


A colleague commutes by coach from Oxford to London and, as you say,
gets a seat, a comfortable ride (traffic can be a PITA mind) and I
think free Wi-Fi too.


Yes, at least one Oxford-London operator offers Wi-Fi. The
Oxford-London buses now dominate that market with rail lagging a long
way behind. Cost is obviously a major issue, but First Great
Western's unreliable, unpunctual service with filthy trains and filthy
stations is a major disincentive to travel by rail.

Whenever I use Oxford I find that facilities that were broken or out
of service the last time I used the station are in exactly the same
state. The station is grimy and rancid and desperately needs a deep
clean and regular thorough cleaning to keep it sweet.



.

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