Despite ample opportunity to burn the evidence, Fire Brigade shows TfL how to do it

Everything perfectly on time for my journey home on Wednesday evening.  I had they day off yesterday, and am working from home today, so no personal updates till next Tuesday (I'll be working from home Monday too).

In the non-personal travel news, London's Fire Commissioner sets an example for the TfL bosses in the wake of their expenses scandal.  I particularly like the phrasing from mayorwatch.co.uk:

"Commissioner Dobson’s expenses are dominated by a fixed special payment made in lieu of any monthly mileage or standard travel claims and which is paid 'in recognition of the on call requirements placed upon the Commissioner.'

"That all seems reasonable because fires, as the Fire Brigades Union has told us a few times, don’t happen at regular, predictable and scheduled times. Unlike presumably the meetings of senior TfL officials who get a free Oyster card yet still need taxis to get through their schedules.

"Also wholly absent from the Brigade management’s claims are toy vehicles, hotel Wifi and magazines."

This morning in the car, I briefly overheard on Magic FM a story about the UK having the worst and most expensive rail service in Europe.  I wasn't really paying attention at the time, hence my vagueness.  I've been unable to track it down, so if anyone knows what I'm talking about and point me in the direction of a link, I'd be very grateful, since this will scupper TfL's draconian attempts to control the news agenda and remove detrimental stories...

More on the expenses scandal, and other news

My journey home last night came complete with a one-minute delay on the Bakerloo Line, which I won't count as it didn't cause me to miss my connecting train to Hersham.  Which was two minutes late.

This morning, I took the train from Norbiton to Waterloo after dropping my daughter off at day care.  The train was late in arriving, and 18 minutes late by the time it arrived at Waterloo.  This was due to 'congestion at Waterloo caused by earlier delays'.  The connecting Bakerloo Line to Edgware Road was three minutes late, owing to 'operational issues', which seems to be the new excuse du jour.  Perhaps I should change the name of this blog...

Anyway, altogether this made me 21 minutes later to work than I should have been.  Add the two minutes from last night, and we're up to 23 minutes and £57.50

In the news today, do you remember the TfL bosses' expense scandal?  Well, from April on they'll be publishing all their expenses, so you can pick them apart to find just how many coffee mugs and Internet porn they've been paying for using your ticket fares.  The sad thing is, I'm not even joking.  Take a look at this choice quote:

"In the most recent year for which figures are available, transport Commissioner Sire Peter Hendy claimed more than £2,500 on taxis.

"By comparison Mayor Boris Johnson has claimed just 107.19 in taxis in the current financial year."

Meanwhile, at least some of our money is going towards worthwhile investments.  If you use the Victoria Line anyway: it now offers the 'most intensive train service in Britain' at peak times.  Anyone use the Victoria Line to commute?  Is your journey simply blissful now?

Eat your own dog food!

Never mind the MP expense scandal(s), what about TfL?  MayorWatch reports the evil company's seven most senior executives claimed expenses (paid for by the public, ultimately) totalling £22,000 between 2010 and September 2012.  That acutally doesn't seem like a huge amount for roughly two years: it's just £1,500-odd a year per executive after all.

Except that it isn't:

"Of the overall sum, £16,125 was claimed by Transport Commissioner Sir Peter Hendy"

In 2012, he claimed hundreds of pounds on meals and £99.60 for a subscription to Ville Rail & Transports magazine.  Fair enough; I also get peckish from time to time.  But he also claimed more than £2,500 on taxis and travelling costs, which begs the question: what's wrong with taking the public transport he works so tirelessly to provide?  Why won't he eat his own dog food?

TfL explains:

"Sir Peter Hendy travels to and from work by public transport and he also regularly uses public transport when travelling in the capital on business... there are occasions when his full schedule and late hours necessitate the use of taxis (which, of course, TfL licenses).”

Really?  Tube and overground tend to run till around half midnight.  Has he really been working past this time so often as to necessitate such large taxi bills?  It's possible, I suppose, but I doubt it.