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Wednesday 3 January 2018

Another taxing proposal for the car owner.

Yesterday lunchtime I was listening to radio 2, Jeremy Vine was discussing the possibility that fuel tax should rise to help fund the railways. Hmm. There was one little chink of light when the chap who was all for this managed to say that city and rural areas would have to be looked at separately.

If I want to go to Swansea it takes me around 30 - 40 minutes to get to one of the retail parks by car.

If I decide to use the bus I have a choice of 2 in and 2 out. This will take around 35 minutes. That is a very optimistic time, traffic can be appalling for the route to the bus station. I would think that 45 - 55 minutes would be nearer the mark. The bus station is bang in the middle of a marvellous shopping area and would be my destination of choice but it can be a traffic congested drive.

If I want to go by rail I have to drive to Neath, 30 minutes and then pay through the nose to park my car. Then get a train which will take somewhere around 15 minutes. 

If fuel tax goes up the bus fare will rise, yes I can get a bus pass but will the route stand a price rise?

Whether or not the fuel tax goes up I would still be out of pocket by using the train.

Many rural areas will be worse than this one, at least we have busses. A 20 minute walk will get me to the next village with a larger choice of busses.

Enough of that, the powers that be will do as they please, there was one fact that did slip out. Allegedly the main result that is hoped for is to get more cars out of London.

I wore my new hat yesterday and it kept the wind out beautifully, there will be more like this coming off the needles for sure. The wind whistles round the hospital grounds but I did not feel it at all.
W had a good report and within a few weeks he could be out of plaster and just have monthly checkups for a while.

I did some more work (it,s not work, it,s play) on my cardigan and will soon divide for the sleeves.

Francesca has picked out a couple of Andi Satterlund patterns and I will be printing them off today. Then there will be the yarn to find, deep joy, I will be planning a trip to stroke and squeeze a rainbow.

After looking at so many colour work patterns that my eyes were rotating in their sockets I have decided to use one from my Arne & Carlos book. I am also going to have a go at knitting it in the traditional way, a tube from hem to shoulders, then cut the opening for sleeves and cut the neckline out at the front before kitchener stitching the shoulders, then picking up stitches and knitting round the neck. Scary but something that is part of my plan to Explore this year.

Now it is time for more tea and perhaps a slice of toast.

                       TTFN                                          Pam

















6 comments:

  1. Going for the easy target as usual then.....the motorist.

    Glad your new hat does it's job well.
    Hugs-x-

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  2. I love a trip to a yarn shop.

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  3. Buses for me is not an option, and a train well that is also out of the window, walking to the village there are 2 buses a day would take about an hour to walk to the village and several hours back as its all up hill, I will sitck to my car regardless of the fuel costs.

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  4. If fuel prices went up here, we'd be even more recluse. In our little village, we do have a grocery store ($$$) and we could order most things online...but the only way to travel for a vet emergency would be by taxi (there is one company in our area) or by ambulance if it were a human emergency.

    I would love to go back to the horse and buggy.

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  5. Did my first steek this week, using Jamieson and Smith wool. I made a bit of a hash of it but it will be ok because it’s a ‘sticky’ wool’. Definitely scary but next time it should be easier.

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