British Transport - is it a joke?

[mad_matt]

With the chaos that ensued at the grand opening of T5 yesterday and the on going problems today coupled with a new 72 hour strike announced by Tube workers today is our transport infrastructure the laughing stock of the rest of the industrialised nations?

Discuss?

[Ed Selley]

With the possible exception of France- yes. Uniquely however we have a heady combination of private sector incompitance and union bolshiness.

[krish]

T5 is a private sector joke
- the comedians being those privatised sheep BA BAA

[gorge]

Overall Value-For-Money it is probably the worst in the world!

[johntheexpat]

Originally Posted by mad_matt

With the chaos that ensued at the grand opening of T5 yesterday and the on going problems today coupled with a new 72 hour strike announced by Tube workers today is our transport infrastructure the laughing stock of the rest of the industrialised nations?

Discuss?

Noooo, it's just the unions being environmentally friendly and helping to reduce everyone's carbon footprint.

[andykn]

Originally Posted by mad_matt

With the chaos that ensued at the grand opening of T5 yesterday and the on going problems today coupled with a new 72 hour strike announced by Tube workers today is our transport infrastructure the laughing stock of the rest of the industrialised nations?

Discuss?

How does T5 compare with other similar projects like Denver, Kuala Lumpur or the new Hong Kong airport? About the same or better will probably be the answer.

And how does London Underground compare with similar systems abroad? Oh, no, there aren't any similar systems anywhere in the world. And the strike hasn't happened yet.

[Harj]

Originally Posted by Ed Selley

With the possible exception of France- yes. Uniquely however we have a heady combination of private sector incompitance and union bolshiness.

France & Spain ave introduced high speed trains that make ours look embarrasing, and the prices are ridiculosly low, yes we are an embarresment and rip off. I can compare the underground system of Singapore to ours to see how far we our behind, in terms of technology, fare prices and friendliness

[funkyspider]

Originally Posted by andykn

How does T5 compare with other similar projects like Denver, Kuala Lumpur or the new Hong Kong airport? About the same or better will probably be the answer.

And how does London Underground compare with similar systems abroad? Oh, no, there aren't any similar systems anywhere in the world. And the strike hasn't happened yet.

I think you may be getting a little confused...

Are you referring to the new Beijing airport ?
If so you can get a brief summary of information here which should help you get things into perspective when comparing to T5
http://www.timeintransit.com/news/be...port-building/

and pleanty more detail elsewhere if you look
"The new terminal, which cost an estimated $3.75 billion to construct, occupies 14 million square feet. The building was constructed at lightning speed; it took four years and 50,000 workers.

Compare that to London Heathrow's Terminal 5, set to open later this month. Terminal 5 took nearly 20 years to build and cost at least twice as much as the one in the Chinese capital. "



How can you justify the statement that there aren't any similar systems to the London underground abroad. What are you using as a comparison there against Tokyo Subway, New York Underground etc.

[Jenn]

Originally Posted by Ed Selley

With the possible exception of France- yes.

How is France worse when trains for example are cheaper, more are on time and cover bigger distances in modern faster trains?
Strikes? yes there are some but it seems to me that they are better managed than here too.

As for the underground... Well I've tried the one in Paris, Lille and Vienna and they're all at least as good if not better than London.

[Ed Selley]

Originally Posted by Jenn

How is France worse when trains for example are cheaper, more are on time and cover bigger distances in modern faster trains?

Unquestionably yes but

Originally Posted by Jenn

Strikes? yes there are some but it seems to me that they are better managed than here too.

Trust me- with synchronised driver/staff/signalmen and potential sympathetic silliness from dock staff, air traffic control and whoever else feels like waving the red flag, the French industrial action is the sort of thing Bob Crow would kill for.

[lubo]

the tube strike won't be that bad it's only TSSA that are striking for those three days.

[andykn]

Originally Posted by Harj

France & Spain ave introduced high speed trains that make ours look embarrasing, and the prices are ridiculosly low, yes we are an embarresment and rip off.

Not strictly comparable. Both Spain and France have major population centres distributed around their extremeties and more centred capitals. In the UK most of the population live in one corner and very few in the top half at all. A high speed line from Glasgow to Thurso would not be mcu benefit for passengers or freight.

I can compare the underground system of Singapore to ours to see how far we our behind, in terms of technology, fare prices and friendliness

They are not comparable. The London tube network would not even fit on to Singapore island. It's like comparing LU with my train set.

[JohnG]

Yes it's all a joke. Our buses, trains and roads are all overpriced, overcrowded and an embarrasment when compared to most countries. Public transport is an absolute joke once you get out of London.

[andykn]

Originally Posted by funkyspider

I think you may be getting a little confused...

No. They were the examples quoted by the news as comparisons of how major new airport constructions had gone wrong at launch.

Are you referring to the new Beijing airport ?
If so you can get a brief summary of information here which should help you get things into perspective when comparing to T5
http://www.timeintransit.com/news/be...port-building/

and pleanty more detail elsewhere if you look
"The new terminal, which cost an estimated $3.75 billion to construct, occupies 14 million square feet. The building was constructed at lightning speed; it took four years and 50,000 workers.

Compare that to London Heathrow's Terminal 5, set to open later this month. Terminal 5 took nearly 20 years to build and cost at least twice as much as the one in the Chinese capital. "

T5 construction did not begin 20 years ago. Only costing twice as much in a coutry where the cost of living must nbe many times that of China is not much of a criticism. And how many of those 50,000 workers survived the construction?

How can you justify the statement that there aren't any similar systems to the London underground abroad. What are you using as a comparison there against Tokyo Subway, New York Underground etc.

I'm not too familiar with the Tokyo subway, but it doesn't seem much cheaper than London and seems to cover a much smaller area. The New York one is nothing like London; I'm fairly sure it has no deep tube lines.

[Reepicheep]

Having visited Holland a number of times and having used their trains and trams it makes our over-priced, disjointed, and under-invested public transport system look third world (although that's probably an insult to the third world as they probably have better public transport!).