2024 will bring more and not less activity that relates to public transport - there is work to be done; the current setups are a long way from perfect and it's just about the most hostile governmental environment for public transport - rail especially. Others have pulled out and there is a gap to be filled.
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2024 will bring Interail travel as in 2022, and we have a further trip (much shorter than the Transatlantic one) from Southampton. Many meetings will be attended remotely, but archaic laws and staff and operational issues all reduce what I can do for the Town Council on Zoom, and I will plan around vital meetings. That's not a problem - except when "emergency" extra meetings are called and - yes - I did put the word "emergency" in quotes because at times it's assumed that volunteer councillors will drop everything in their personal lives to make meetings planned at staff convenience. Let's see what the next year brings.
Away from keyboard - not! I'm a public transport advocate and campaigner - with a strong bias towards the public transport customer. That's not only making sure that the services are available when and where (and going where) people want, but also that they are safe and reliable, and that information about them is easily available. That help is on hand where needed, that fares are clear, understandable and easy to obtain. That travel ancillaries from refreshments to loos, comfortable seats, wifi and charging points these days, left luggage are available where appropriate, that stations and bus stops are mapped well and waymarked from one to the next and, should something go wrong, the customer is looked after.
Over coming months, - starting later today (12th February 2024) I am making a series of trips in(to) mainland Europe, learning about (and I will admit enjoying), primarily, the rail systems and it will help me update some of my knowledge which is way out of date, and visit new places, have new travel experiences. Much will be just "interesting" but some nuggets of information may be directly applicable - be they things we might do nearer home, or things we don't do and are wise to avoid.
I will not, I don't think, be
AFK▸ - away from Keyboard. I can be reached by email ( graham[:at:]sn12.net is the best guarantee to be robust), and I'll be on the Coffee Shop forum at
http://www.passenger.chat as grahame too. Other contact points such as Facebook and my Town Councillor accounts, and phone, will work most of the time too - though they have higher bandwidth requirements and on past form have been less reliable distantly. Please do not treat this as me being on "holiday" - I will still be around virtually and available that way. Travelling alone, family remains at home. Updates will be posted - I'll be doing some form of travelogue. I'll put in a URL at
http://www.grahamellis.uk/travels which will point you to updates.
