Queue

The combination of a train strike and my in person presence being required for a meeting at work meant that my commute into Leeds had to be completed by bus. 

Bus routes are generally designed as radial routes into city centres within municipal boundaries, so practically that meant me going into Bradford before picking up a Bradford-Leeds service. A couple of other options were available, but they relied on making connections between two infrequent services. 

Of course the train strike meant that there was a lot more traffic on the roads, and a lot more people using the buses, factors which meant that buses weren’t able to keep to timetable and weren’t able to provide the capacity needed.

Hence, on arrival at Bradford Interchange I was greeted with this queue for the X6 to Leeds. Needless to say I didn’t get on the next bus, but at least by making the connection at the main Interchange I avoided being stuck at the side of the road while buses full to capacity sailed past.

It took two and a half hours door to door, during which time I possibly could have just walked the twelve miles into Leeds along the canal.  The return home was a breeze at two hours :) 

And for the record I’m not annoyed at the striking rail workers, they’re doing what they need to do. I am annoyed at the inflexibility shown with regards to the meeting I was attending which could easily have been hybrid. And I’m frustrated by decades of under investment in buses following deregulation which means that they don’t really offer a viable alternative to trains for the sort of journey that I needed to make. 

To finish on a positive note, at least I was able to buy a reasonably priced, single ticket which covered me for the whole  day for any bus operator within the whole of West Yorkshire. This ability to hop on and off without getting tied to one operator is key for passenger flexibility. The recently created mayorship of West Yorkshire has begun to have some impact here.