9:11am Friday 28th September 2007
I AM beginning to wonder whether public transport companies care about their customers or only about their cash.
I travel frequently by rail. Nowadays, however, it's debatable if you will leave or arrive on time or even if there will be refreshments.
One horrific journey north on a hot summer's day, we broke down en route and the buffet car was closed.
We were decamped onto a bus for half an hour, then with no time to buy a sandwich, were shunted onto another, overcrowded train.
Packed like cattle, standing room only in the corridor, with the buffet car unreachable, I was faint with hunger by the time I reached Edinburgh.
Recently I booked a Fun run' online. Winchester was not on the list but Southampton was, and the coach starting there stopped at King Alfred's Statue, so I happily hopped on.
At Victoria I waited an hour to get the coach to Exeter, and another hour before getting a bus to Budleigh Salterton.
Ten hours later I reached my destination!
Returning, I was glad to see a bus from Victoria at 8pm with lots of empty seats.
But although the driver personally would have been happy to let me board, he was not allowed to do so and I had to wait for the 9pm coach, the driver of which seeing Southampton on my ticket, said he would not let me off at Winchester, despite the fact it was an official stop and others were getting off there. When I protested pleading that I'd be unable to get back at that time - almost midnight - he relented but with very ill grace, and added that the first driver should not have let me on at all.
Next day I rang the company to ask what I should have done; apparently I should have ignored the fact Winchester was on the list and typed it in the blank space. Well pardon my stupidity!
A car driver would have got there in three hours - it took me 10. Some Fun run!
Okay, you get what you pay for and you can say I'm just a typical Scot to go for the cheaper option, but surely if those companies aim to live up to their publicity and parade special offers, they should try to do better. Perhaps a little customer training might include a realisation that people get tired on long journeys and a little understanding of their needs, rather than a jobsworth attitude would help.
"Don't be confrontational Madam," is not a soothing rejoinder to a panicking traveller.
In the meantime, I will continue to do my bit for the environment by cycling and using Shanks' pony around the city, but it would be nice to think when I do go further I could do so without being made to feel that the customer is always wrong'.
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