Rubbish collection at 06.30hrs???

The early roadsweeper vehicles used to go round the bricklayers, at about 2 or 3am, you'd hear the very load hum twice..there and back, i think i mentioned it on here, I would have loved it had they started at 6am..

They used to come down Tooley Street at midnight - almost to the minute, you could set your watch by them!

Have to say it was a minor inconvenience compared to knowing that the streets were being kept clean of rubbish.

But now that you mention it, have not heard them for a while.

Of course such slowing of the traffic doesn't affect either buses or taxis which we are encouraged to use instead of our own cars.

London is horrific and snarled up at the best of times. We should be encouraging activity that reverses this, not adding to the problems.[/quote]

Fewer private vehicles means faster times for public (road) transport - one of the reasons for the congestion charge.

Discouraging private vehicles is beneficial for London.

Do you use the buses?

It takes me an hour (sometimes longer) to do my journey to work on the bus, it takes 15 mins by car.

In the four years I have lived in Bermondsey the journey time has become longer, the buses more croweded and less regular, and the fare increased by around 40%.

I realise we've veered off topic but, really, we can't just believe the mayor when he says public transport is improving when clearly it ain't.

Yes, I do use the buses. We should ban cars and use the roads for public transport, bicycles and service vehicles.

Reg

so how would you transport 2 kids and a weekly shop on the bus? take my mum (who is disabled) shopping?

I walk to work and use public transport whenever possible but there are times that people do need a car

Order your groceries over the internet. No reason why kids & the elderly can't use the bus.

It's easy to use a bus with children and an elderly mum.
1) stand close enough to the bus stop.

2) clutch toddlers hand.

3) one handed lift pushchair complete with 12lb baby onto bus.

4) try to adjust shopping bag dangling around neck threatening to cut off blood supply.

5) find that bus driver already has three prams onboard.

6) off load backwards trying to avoid mad onslaught of school children anxious to get on.

7) find mother has found a seat after poking someone with her walking stick.

8) see mother waving frantically as bus roars off, knowing she has no purse or bus pass with her.

9) hope that she gets off next stops and waits on the chewing gum ridden plastic seasts that slide you off because they are angled wrong.

10)wipe toddlers tears ' cos his Nannas gone.

11) wipe baby sick off toddlers head.

12) eventually arrive home, minus shopping.

13) when husband comes in resist the urge to scream when he asks whats for dinner..

14) phone for a takeaway..and flowers for Mum!

dee dee, I'm with you - it just isn't always practical and the evangelical who think that it is possible for everyone to survive without a car make me want to go out and buy one that guzzles more gas.

Ditto Birdie. I use my car as little as possible, take the tube, bus and walk. But my parents are past ninety, and they simply cannot go up and down the stairs of the tube, taxis are two high for them, and they cant carry their shopping for the distance from the nearest bus stop. I take them out, take them heavy shopping etc. And I have two grandchildren of one and a half and three and a half who are not yet manoeverable on public transport with any degree of safety. I'd be glad to ditch my car but I just cant. Not yet anyway.