https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gpyekyvkko



I worry (is it just me?) that if someone takes so many attempts to pass a test that have a safety implication, their eventual passing might just be a stroke of luck on that occasion and they might not actually be safe on the road thereafter.  A car is a lethel weapon after all, probably responsible for more none-medical deaths in the UK than knives.

Edit to add - about 1600 road deaths / 290 knife crime deaths last year .... UK figures

In March next year I need to get from Prague to Krakow. An open access Operator called Leo Express is coming up extremely cheaply. Under £10 once converted to GBP.
Has anyone any experience of this operator? Any comments ? Are they reliable?

Less than a tenner for a journey of around 550km seems too good to be true, or maybe I’m just used to U.K. pricing.

A learner driver has failed their theory test 128 times, according to a new report.

The candidate would have spent about £3,000, findings released by the AA Driving School and based on official statistics have shown.

Another driver passed on their 75th attempt last year, costing them an estimated £1,700.

According to data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, obtained by the AA, two learners have taken their practical test 37 times without passing.

It took 43 tries for another candidate to pass, the report said, potentially costing them up to £3,200.

Can it be confirmed that the option to stay logged in has been removed? I only seem to be getting 360minutes now as an option.

What are we doing about it?
-
Engineers are on site monitoring the issue. There is a plan to fix the defect overnight but we will advise further here if this plan changes.


Well that's helpful.

Wreaths were placed on GWR trains from Gloucester to London Paddington

Events have taken place across the West of England to mark Armistice Day.

A two-minute silence was observed in offices, schools and shopping centres at 11:00 GMT to mark the time and date when the World War One Armistice came into effect.

It was also the sixth anniversary of The Veterans Charity and Great Western Railway joint "Poppies to Paddington" Remembrance memorial.

Poppy wreaths were collected from stations including Gloucester and laid at the war memorial at Paddington Station in London.

Mel Rudge from the Gloucester City Royal British Legion placed one of the wreaths on the GWR train when it stopped at Gloucester this morning. He said its "very important, we must remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice".

The train stopped at several station on its way including Kemble and Didcot before arriving in London where the wreaths were laid at the War Memorial to mark Armistice Day.

In Dursley, it is the first year the day of remembrance has been held at the new war memorial garden, built to give veterans "ringside seats" during services to honour the fallen. The Dursley and Cam branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL) helped the community raise £3,800 for the garden. RBL secretary, Julie Campbell said she felt "immense pride and joy that we are able to give this to Dursley".


The new memorial in Dursley features a plaque with the names of 44 soldiers who died in World War One and World War Two

The Bath Branch Grenadier Guards led the service at the First Field War Memorial in Combe Down, Bath. Around 400 school children from Combe Down Primary school along with their teachers and parents plus members of the local community gathered to pay their respects. Penny, a local 13 year-old schoolgirl played the last post.


People gathered at the Burma War Memorial in Taunton for a two-minute silence

In Bristol, Simon Bennett was at the service held at Arnos Vale cemetery. He said he felt "more than any time in history, this is the the perfect opportunity to remember those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice for this country. I've got ancestors who fought in the First World War and Second World War. So [I am] very proud of what they did for this country," added Mr Bennett.

In Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, military veteran Alister Cheesewright said seeing "everyone line the streets" in the town "means a lot". There is a "proud history here," he added.


The last post was played in front of crowds gathered in Royal Wootton Bassett

One might hope that, in the circumstances, LNER might provide free travel to those BTP locations to collect their items, on proof of the appointment

That's *exactly* why you do take out travel insurance. It wasn't Ryanair's fault....

Learner driver scammed over test feels 'hopeless'

A teenager who lost £200 after booking a driving test from scammers has called on the government to improve its booking system and waiting lists.

Lucy Sturt, 18, from Bishops Waltham, Hampshire, found a third party on social media to book a slot but never heard back from them after parting with her money. She said: "I'm feeling pretty depleted and just a bit hopeless because it limits what I can do, not being able to drive, which is really sad."

A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson recommended learners used the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) official site. The DVSA said it was committed to developing a new booking system.

Lucy describes the official website as "horrific", with attempts to log into it early in the mornings when new tests were released proving fruitless. Automated systems, or bots, block-book driving test slots, contributing to the problem. She is also regularly booted from the site when it assumes she herself is a bot.

According to figures obtained by the AA Driving School, the majority of test centres in the south of England have waiting times of more than five months.

Lucy searched Facebook groups advertising driving test cancellations and was directly messaged by an admin after leaving a post on one of them, with the discussion carried over to WhatsApp. "I probably knew it was too good to be true because the test was coming up in a few weeks, but because I was so desperate you just resort to things like that because you really want the end product," she said.

Lucy has called for a "complete reform" of the DVSA system, as well as "more safeguarding to stop these robots from bypassing the system".

Lucy's mother Chrissy Sturt said: "The scammers are exploiting desperation, and the desperation is caused by this centrally-broken system. We're just an ordinary little family. We can't compete with these bots and other systems that have been set up to grab all the slots."

...

In a statement the DVSA said it used "enhanced bot protection" to stop bots buying up tests, but that they were "constantly evolving and changing". It said it did not "run, approve or endorse any cancellation finder apps or services", and that learners should use the DVSA official channel to book their test. It added: "Any tests booked outside of the official DVSA booking site could be a scam and may result in the learner driver not having a test slot and losing their money."

Since January 2023, the DVSA has investigated more than 1,600 business accounts for booking violations. It said it was committed to developing a new system to both deal with the increase in demand and the use of bots which "cheat learners out of being able to easily book a test".

A DfT spokesperson said it had "inherited a frustrating system where many learners found themselves stuck in limbo, waiting to ditch their L plates, but unable to get a test". It said it instructed the DVSA to take further measures, and was seeing "early signs of improvement" though there was "still more to be done". It said the department would "make sure the DVSA continues to do all they can to reduce waiting times".

Returning of property following major incident – Cambridgeshire

Following the major incident on a train in Huntingdon last week, British Transport Police (BTP) are now working to reunite passengers with property which was left behind in the wake of the incident.

Anyone who left property on the train is asked to text BTP on 61016, or call 0800 40 50 40, quoting the reference 153 of 2 November.

They should state which seat and carriage they were in and describe the property in as much detail as possible.

An appointment will then be made to collect the property in person at BTP offices in either Peterborough or London. The location will be confirmed when an appointment is made.

Please note that while officers are trying to complete this work as quickly as possible, we're not able to say at this stage when an appointment will be made.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible for items to be sent by post, nor will we be able to return any items to anyone without an appointment.

We’re grateful for the patience and understanding of those who were travelling while this work is carried out.

“It gives power to the mayors of the combined authorities,” Hendy said. “GBR must interact with them and must listen to what they say about the provision of services in their areas.”

Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington

Due to a speed restriction over defective track at Hayes & Harlington fewer trains are able to run. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Train services between Reading and London Paddington will be cancelled, delayed or terminated at and started back from Reading. Twyford, Maidenhead and Slough will not be served.

Customer Advice
What has happened?
A crack in a rail has been discovered in the Hayes & Harlington area. This defect cannot be fixed until Tuesday night at the earliest.

.......the majority of Elizabeth Line trains are also being cancelled.

...and something for the weekend:

While enjoying a visit to, primarily, Stratford-upon-Avon, on Saturday 08/11 we took the bus to Moreton-in-Marsh and, time allowing, also decided to take the train to Evesham. As luck would have it 1W02 PAD 1150 > HFD 1443 was 20 mins late at MIM and 21 late getting to EVE. The MIM station PA attributed the delay to 'a fire alarm sounding in a signal box'.

On a 'nothing out of the ordinary' November Saturday a 9 Car IET seemed a tad OTT!