And another report about a Sunderland football fan who is flying to London via Menorca, including one night in a hostel in Menorca, total cost £51 which includes breakfast. The direct flight to Gatwick one way would have cost him £161, cheapest train to King’s Cross from Sunderland on Friday is £83 and on Saturday £69.
Yep, there is definitely something seriously wrong.
It’s my age and me having a carer.
I just love how you did that comparison shopping.
The rail unions threatening to strike over the jubilee weekend won’t do much to encourage the return to rail travel.
A drop of 85% was the same on the train network here but I think it has picked up since, however it is nothing like it used to be.
I haven’t been on a train for over two years but from my observation of the station car park patronage is well down. Masks are still compulsory on all public transport.
Before the pandemic the carpark was full and the street lined with cars before 7am. These days it is never more than half full at any time.
there are independent variables at work here"
- recovery from covid not complete so caution still reigns
- working from home has been developing from pre-covid times and has become attractive to some
- purchasing online has become more regular and so cuts down shopping trips
- companies save monies in one way if workers work from home and loses in other ways
etc etc
the full picture will not emerge before the covid pandemic has cleared and then not immediately there will be some post covid uncertainty about work habits ; travel etc
all too soon to predict imo
Hi
The World is changing, technology is much better.
There is simply no reason to continue the historical method of being in the office everyday.
We can reduce business costs by £Billions by working from home and allow us to scrap HS2 and spend the monet elsewhere.
@swimfeeders , of everybody worked in an office you would be right
Swimmy !
On HS2 the money has allready been spent and they will soon be asking
for more, or making further cuts up north which defeats the whole reason
for the project in the first place ?
Donkeyman! 
We should get goods off the roads and on to the railways, it’s what the railways were built for originally, and they have been using electricity on most busy lines for years. I sometimes think that the government are only paying lip service to saving the planet and reducing pollution.
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What’s the good of striking while rail use is down to 15% of normal ??
Perhaps they are being considerate ??
Donkeyman! 
It’s going to take widespread industrial action to bring this awful government down. It’s unfortunate but it must be done.
@The_Artful_Todger Do you mean a revenge attack for Thatcher’s purge
of the unions. ??
Surely it’s too late for that ?
Donkeyman! 
No. I mean a fight against this government. What Thatcher did was necessary at that time but the pendulum has now swung much to far.
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@The_Artful_Todger , What Thatcher did was overkill !! She allowed our
industries to be sold off in order to defeat the unions and bring money
into the economy as we were going bankrupt at that time !
We can never recreate those industries or skills as we are still virtually
bankrupt still, and the work force has lost the taste for hard work and
prefers to exist with easy credit and benefits !
I see no hope for this country anymore ??
Donkeyman!
Thatcher killed off lame ducks.
No point in spending tax payers money to manufacture things that cost more to make than the market price.
@The_Artful_Todger Why use taxpayers money ??
The shareholders should have invested in new tooling etc in order to keep
our products up to date , our products were mostly old designs but were
always cheap !
This cost us market share, the shareholders refused to invest, the rest is
history !!
Nothing to do with cost of manufacture, but a complete lack of imagination
by the owners and shareholders !!
Donkeyman!
Keep in mind that the prime responsibility of a manufacturer is to enhance shareholder value.
@The_Artful_Todger , When the value of the shares exceeds the value of
the product then there is only one result !!
Donkeyman! 