Long time supporter of public transport jumps in the car

I started this blog – and it was arguably at it's shouty worst/best* – to moan to anyone who'd listen about my train commute to work. However, like many similar shouty blogs moaning about public transport, I soon moved through anger and retribution stage into the shoulder-shrugging total and utter apathy stage. I barely mustered a sigh when the conductor announces the reason for our latest delay, and the expletives I uttered, standing at the counter when my season ticket price increased by 27% in January wasn't even audible to the poor clerk, thrust into the firing-line by First Great Western to seperate customers from their money. But five months later and £354 a month was really starting to grate, quite a lot, so I investigated the possibility of making a saving somewhere.

To cut a not really that long, but really rather dull story short, it turns out that by driving from Bath to Keynsham and picking up the train there I save myself £130 a month**. This may seem a small victory, but believe me, the taste is very sweet indeed, especially as I consider every pound saved to be one stolen from the coffers of First Group. For those that don't know, Keynsham is about 7 miles from Bath, not halfway to Cardiff as the saving would suggest, so the petrol money in my little motor is not too bad, and before someone smart points out the cost of parking, then whisper it quietly, but it's just a pound a day at Keynsham, infact the savings easily cover my insurance too so I am way up on the deal.

So there you have it, a previous vocal supporter of public transport has been forced into his car to save money, and if it weren't for the bloody Severn Bridge Toll, I'd probably drive the whole way. Though I am now entering the third stage of the commuter, where changes are planned in order that I don't have a bloody stupid commute to get to work every day…. But more on that later…. Maybe.

* delete as you see fit.

** For those who care this is broken down as £80 saved on train ticket and £50 saved on the (outrageously expensive) monthly bus ticket to get to Bath station (also paid to First!).