Tuesday 6 September 2011

Of cars, brollies - and buses

Today, another scheme from our elected representatives in Sandwick Road, Stornoway to save the planet. All employees of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) will be encouraged to give up their cars, and as a reward they will be issued with umbrellas. That way, council employees will be able to walk to work dry.

I have found an umbrella an unfortunately useless accoutrement in our climate. Yes, it frequently rains here. But it also blows hard quite a lot. I once came across a gentleman who tried to put up an umbrella in a force 8 gale. He nearly flew to his destination.
So, people should use public transport, if they’re coming in from out of town. Well, that means taking the bus. I am the last person in this island to knock the bus services, but really, there have been reductions in the buses in recent years. The town circular is now more a triangular short hop, and some buses don’t come even though they’re timetabled to do so.

Quite a few hare-brained ideas on public transport are thought out by people who graciously plonk their posteriors in luxuriously heated plush carseats, that they will not give up for any umbrella. So why should anybody else?

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