Wasteful transport policies in times of skyrocketing fuel prices

Hello again / Hiya!

The local weekly paper last week carried an article that illustrates some of the wasteful policies that beset our lovely world, i.e. two rivalling bus companies operating services to and from Glasgow within minutes of each other, and at roughly the same times as the train.
Have a read yourselves. I'm sure the OT have no objections to my giving their paper some space on this blog (click on the subject line above to go straight to their website).
I am gratified to see that I am not alone in wondering about such wasteful policies, which is why I am including two letters to the editors of the Oban Times, one about the issue of rivalling buses/trains, the other one an appeal from an MP to provide evidence of hardship the high fuel prices are causing to the population here.
I end today's post with a copy of a letter that I just sent off to the editors of the Oban Times. It ties in with the subject.

Cheers! Peace.

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The Oban Times, July 17, 2008 – Front page:

'Bus war' companies reach agreement
West Coast Motors to resume Citylink service

TWO rival bus companies engaged in a bus war over services between Oban and Glasgow and Campbeltown and the city have reached an agreement.
From September West Coast Motors will resume as the contractor for Scottish Citylink's service between the two towns and Glasgow.
The previous contract between the two companies, which had run for the last 22 years, expired in May [2008] and the companies failed to reach an agreement.
But Scottish Citylink confirmed this week that successful terms and conditions had been agreed between the two parties and a new service contract would start on September 29 [2008].
'Very happy'
Colin Craig, managing director of West Coast Motors, said: 'We are very happy to have agreed terms that will restore network stability for the foreseeable future, which is good news for our customers.
'Our dedicated team of staff will continue to provide the very highest standards of coach travel in partnership with Scottish Citylink.'
Tom Wileman, Scottish Citylink's managing director, said: 'We are delighted to confirm that we will be continuing our long relationship with West Coast Motors after reaching an agreement over the renewal of our contract with them.'
4,000 weekly customers
An average of 4,000 people travel to and from Oban, Campbeltown and Glasgow by bus every week.
The service will run three times a day in each direction to Citylink's current timetable but in West Coast Motor branded buses.
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OT Letters to the editor
PO Box 1, Oban, Argyll, PA34 4HB
email: editor@obantimes.co.uk
www.obantimes.co.uk
Telephone: [0044] (0)1631 568000
Fax: [0044] (0)1631 568001

Bus service anger
Sir,
Fuel costs are at an all time high, so it is ridiculous and irresponsible that two competing bus operators are offering services between Oban and Glasgow at times within a few minutes of each other.
To make matters worse, the bus times published by Citylink and West Coast Motors are roughly the same times as the train – early morning, midday and evening.
It is an acknowledged fact that a large percentage of the travelling public are seniors or other people whose travel is funded in full or partly out of the public purse. Why is this competition allowed when it is of absolutely no value to the public?
For the most part, these bus services operate at little more than half capacity, sometimes much less.
Doubling up of the bus services confuses the public, is a waste of precious fuel and adds to pollution.
Rationalisation of times so that rail and/or bus services are evenly spread throughout the day would help enormously and encourage more use of public transport, rather than the car as an easy option. To make this work the bus services need to embark on a cohesive marketing strategy to encourage people away from cars.
The West Coast Motors office in George Street [Oban] recently told me there is no bus service this year from Oban to Dundee.
When I challenged this I was told West Coast Motors no longer gives out any information about Citylink services. This type of unhelpful or mis-information could be misleading to tourists and others.
Jim Heward, Oban.

Fuel appeal
Sir,
The high price of fuel is causing severe problems in Argyll and Bute.
I have argued strongly for the government to reduce fuel duty on fuel sold at pumps in remote areas.
I also went with other Highlands and Islands MPs to the Treasury to put the case for reducing fuel duty here. Treasury Ministers promised they will consider any evidence presented to them of the problems that high fuel prices are causing.
I am hopeful we can persuade the government to reduce fuel duty in remote areas, but we need to present the government with evidence of the problems high prices are causing.
I would be grateful if readers could write to me, spelling out the problems that high fuel prices are causing them either personally or to their business if they are running one.
I will present this evidence to the Treasury and use it to try to persuade them to reduce the fuel duty in Argyll and Bute.
Alan Reid MP, 95 Alexandra Parade, Dunoon, Argyll.
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"Bus War" between Scottish Citylink and West Coast Motors, Oban Times, July 17, 2008
Sir
In reference to the "bus war" between the two bus companies, my Swiss friend wanted to travel back to Glasgow last Thursday morning, July 17, on the first Citylink bus out of Oban. The web-based timetable and the ticket she had bought online both stated the bus would leave at 07:25AM. We were very surprised to find that a West Coast Motor coach did indeed drive up at about that time. The chauffeur, however, turned my friend away, saying she did not have a ticket for his bus and telling her to wait for the Citylink bus, which would be along shortly. When I called Citylink to find out where their bus was, I was told there was no service from Oban to Glasgow at 07:25AM. The Citylink coach only arrived at 07:45AM and actually left, with exactly three passengers on board, at 07:55AM. My friend had a fairly nerve-racking journey to Glasgow, wondering whether the half-hour delay in her travel schedule would allow her to catch her London-bound flight.
I could not agree more wholeheartedly with your writer Jim Heward's letter, published in the same OT as your article on the incomprehensible, wasteful "war" between the two bus companies. Why -- in these times of skyrocketing fuel prices -- they have to wait until September to resume a combined service is absolutely beyond me.
Margaret P[...]J[…], Oban [July 22, 2008]