Only a little bit of this was TfL's fault...

Broken ticket machines made me miss both the 07:19 and the 07:30 - and of course it was too much to hope that the ticket office be manned at this time.  The 07:49 was cancelled (overrunning engineering works somewhere near Woking). 08:00 was six late within TfL's network.  This made me 43 minutes late into Waterloo overall, but because all problems bar the last six minutes were because of issues out of TfL's network, I can only recognise the six minutes.

I tried to get the 08:37 connecting tube, but it was too crowded to physically enter, so I got the 08:39, which was a minute delayed by the time it arrived at Edgware Road.  Had the 08:00 from Hersham arrived on time, I would have been at work nine minutes earlier than was the case.  So that's just £22.50.

But because I'm feeling even more spiteful than usual after this morning's journey, I'll draw your attention to a little news item, which tells us that 223 TfL staff members are on salaries of over £100K, which presumably explains why we the passengers continue to pay for above-inflation fare rises.

No news is good news

UPDATE: a couple more news updates for you: want to know the details of the annual fare increases?  No surprises here - well over inflation and therefore what can be justified by any reasonable person.  It includes doubling the cost of the ruinously loss-making Boris Bikes, primarily because they're too good for the environment and people were enjoying them too much.

Meanwhile, here's more news showing that the Olympics saw the best Tube service ever, despite record business, again begging the question: why can't it be like this all the time - or even half as good?

Here's TfL crashing people's house prices, quality of life and the environment, all while claiming that's exactly what they told everyone they'd be doing and everyone agreed.  Because that's the kind of thing people are usually only too happy to agree to.


I'm working from home today, so there'll be no travel updates from my personal life.  Still, I can report on TfL's continuing plans to suck all the joy out of the world, this time by suddenly changing requirements for hanging up Christmas lights in an effort to squeeze more money out of struggling businesses.

Well, the Christmas lights may not be up, but tube drivers are already gearing up for the annual strike to bring Boxing Day misery to London.  Why?  Why else: more money is wanted for working on the day.  Never mind the fact that they all knew when they took the jobs that they would be required to work weekends and bank holidays occasionally.  Contract?  What contract?  Heed my advice: it's not often I support TfL, but you should write to TfL and pledge not to travel on Boxing Day.  Take the teeth out of the strike threat.

The Times is carrying an interesting story about 'Peak Car' theory.  Proponents of the theory essentially argue that car use in cities has passed its peak and that a massive redesign of city centres to focus around pedestrians, cyclists and a cafe culture is necessary over the next 20 years.  I just hope they don't forget to plan on special lanes for the flying pigs that will also be present when it comes to pass that cars will be a thing of the past in London.