‘The UK just had the greatest transport crisis in living memory’

I’m ashamed and humiliated to confess this, but the British isles has just had transport meltdown cruelly frequented on it. The ‘system’ is broken, as are the souls of the drivers and passengers frustratingly seeking to use it on a frequent basis.

I have no doubt that late September 2021 marked the worst, most disorderly period of time for transport in the earlier 50 percent-century or additional. I have in no way recognized it to be additional tough, soul-destroying and chaotic to get petrol. Of all the controversial transport issues, ministers and mayhem I noted on all through the eighties from the Residences of Parliament to the European Union HQ , almost nothing I witnessed in contrast with Britain’s journey-relevant debacles last month. 

Anarchy on big streets, courtesy of prison protestors occupying stay lanes, inhumane queues at Heathrow (now dogged with a rip-off fall-off charge of £5), a “serious breach” followed by nationalisation on a large section of the dysfunctional rail community – all these matters would’ve been unacceptable sufficient. But the havoc made by the failing, collapsing, confidence-sapping strength corporations tasked with charging EVs the absence of truckers to deliver crucial merchandise additionally the chaos on petrol/diesel forecourts were the icing on the cake. Thus the best transport crisis in residing memory. 

So what did Transportation Secretary Grant Shapps have to say at the top of the crisis when streets, HGV/tanker deliveries and forecourts seized up?  “The factor that sparked this individual hurry on the petrol stations is some pretty irresponsible briefing from a single of the street haulage associations, which appears to be to have got this heading.” Eh? What a shameless endeavor by Shapps to blame the Road Haulage Affiliation (RHA). It is his Government and office that have the staff, and lawful and economic powers to strategy, administer and deliver a doing the job transport process. The truth that we cough up close to £50billion annually in street-consumer taxation proves that we have additional than paid out for a single that works.

His excellent option for fixing the bruised, bloodied and busted transport community and relevant infrastructure? “Obviously we have got a substantial offer of unique alleviations in spot.” Very clear as mud. This kind of arrogant ‘couldn’t give a toss about journey and transport’ culture at the best degree, merged with cluelessness and sheer ineptitude just has to adjust as we exit (ideally) Meltdown 2021.

If the Government truly believes in additional suitable careers, facilities and economic rewards for tanker drivers and other truckers then it wants to additional generously subsidise their coaching, tests and wellbeing make additional roadside rest stops and loos for them guarantee them that the harmful threat of self-driving lorries will not shortly render them redundant. And chatting of incentives, how about trials to reduce long term transport meltdowns? For starters, motorists in notoriously congested locations where gasoline shortages strike most difficult could be available hard cash payments, tax reductions, or other rewards if they agree to leave their cars and trucks parked at home for say, three times out of just about every 7. Any takers?

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