I know it's a line from Family Guy, but I thought it was appropriate. I'm currently studying at Sheffield Hallam University in the UK, and living in Huddersfield. I thought this was a seinsible choice, as It was a good course, a good city and close enough to home to be able to get back quickly and easily. However, what I didn't account for is the shocking train service that runs between Huddersfield and Sheffield. Today I caught the 10.08 train, and did not arrive in Sheffield until 12.00. This, is simply not acceptable, especially when you consider the distance and the time it takes to get there by car. I can tell you that the distance is precisely 30 miles, and it takes around 45 minutes by car.
Now to many who travel from all ends of the country, this may seem like a stupid thing to complain about, I know some people who have to travel in excess of 4 hours on the train to get home. However, they know that it will take this long, and they travel many hundreds of miles. Where as, the train I get stops at every stop bar 1 (around 15 or so stops) and usually takes an hour and a half, on a cramped, rickety, uncomfortable train. And for the pleasure of this, I pay £10.40 for a return ticket. Whats even worse is that to Manchester to Sheffield, it costs £17.50 return, but at least that is on a comfortable train with only one stop inbetween, I didn't mind that journey at all. It is further at around 38 miles, and only took 55 minutes.
Today on my journey home the train didn't even go to Sheffield! I think the driver was too busy playing with his testicles for about 30 minutes in the middle of the journey, and so we were so late it had to terminate at Meadowhall (the stop before) and I then had to wait another 15 minutes for another train into Sheffield, simply ridiculous.
We pay millions in tax to the government each year through transport, whether it be us doing 32 mph in a 30 zone, or simply the wankerous people who go around...