London's transport award (From Haringey Independent)

London's transport award

12:32pm Thursday 4th October 2007

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London has been voted the best city for transport in the world. Apparently it is the safest and best system, despite being named the most costly.

I am wondering whether the people voting only travelled from Watford to Moor Park on the Metropolitan Line off peak keeping their eyes shut and adorning a peg on their noses.

Otherwise I am baffled how we scooped this prize.

Only this week I had the pleasure of criticising yet another train problem; this time the Ally Pally to Finsbury Park stretch of the East Coast Mainline route. Acute overcrowding, inability to accommodate passengers and increasing pressure from new housing developments were sited as issues.

This coupled with a typical but still unpleasant trip into town after work yesterday. (I went to see Grease, thoroughly recommend it). Anyway I got on the train at Finchley Central (having paid £2.50 to park at the station despite it being nearly 6pm) and made my way to Leicester Square.

Little did I know (was I meant to know? Do I work for London Transport?) that halfway through my journey they switched my delightful (sarcastic) Northern Line train from the Charing Cross branch to the Bank branch. But I got on the train wanting the Charing Cross branch. I didn’t want to play musical train tracks. I didn’t want to end up at Kings Cross and be forced to join the hordes of smelly commuters heading out of London.

But what choice did I have? So I morphed into a sardine like a good commuter and after an agonising wait on a packed platform made my way back to Euston to complete my journey the way I had intended it. A 20 minute delay overall. Nice.

It seems I’m not the only one slightly bemused by this award. As I started ranting to you a press release dropped into my email inbox from the London Assembly. It seems Lib Dem transport spokesman Geoff Pope thinks this pole is hiding the ‘grim reality’ of the transport system. Harsh words well placed Mr Pope.

He said: “This internet poll is more of a sunny holiday snap than a reflection of what is for many Londoners a daily trip in cattle class. Leisure travel is no fair comparison to packed rush hours marred by constant delays and poor service.
“The only finding that will ring true is the exorbitant fares. Any straw poll of Londoners will tell you they are not getting value for money.”

So I wonder whether if Tripadvisor asked the people who use the tubes, buses etc daily what their opinions are it might not fare so well. Or perhaps just go to Hornsey Station at 8.30 on a Monday morning.