It was Chooseday just before Christmas and some Chooseday folk had met for a drink. At about 7pm we went to the bus stop to catch the 48 or 49 to Emersons Green. They should come every 15 mins or so. An hour later we and about 40 others were still waiting.

Then someone said ‘anyone want to share a taxi’. Well enough was enough and we jumped in. That was OK until our co-passenger got out at Fishponds (fare £10, which we split)_ and then the driver said it would be a total of £25 to Emersons Green. Why so much? ‘Because it is outside the city boundary’, was the reply. Ugh! How can we get a sensible system of transport with the boundaries we have?

A few days later we heard that the various local authorities still could not agree on a joint strategic transport authority - and despair began to set in.

Since then I have travelled quite extensively by bus on a route (the X62) that has proved both reliable and friendly. So the picture is mixed and one bad story tends to  obliterate several good ones in our minds. But this we have decided… Chooseday needs to get real, collect evidence from the people of the city about their experience of transport and present this evidence to the authorities. And this we shall do with your help. More news about this soon.

By the way I just booked a train ticket to Oban in Scotland for a holiday. it cost £25 - the same price the taxi charged to get from the city centre to Emersons Green!