Current Affairs

[towny44]

I believe that is one of the primary aims of HS2.

Ah but HS2 is to be scrapped in order to pay for "Insulate Britain". As I have said before you solve one problem and in doing so create several others.

Is that not just the route to Leeds?
That could severely hinder the governments 'level up' plans

If the govt goes ahead with the trans pennine electrification, then that will have a far greater impact on the North's economy than HS2. The east coast mainline route to London is more than adequate, and the time saved via HS2 is of minor importanc, as is London to many northerners.

[Stephen]

Just my own opinion.


All those selfish me me me people filling up around the UK yesterday causing petrol stations to run dry need to seriously think about the impact they are having on the services of the people that REALLY need it such as the NHS, EMERGENCY SERVICES and CARE WORKERS.

When your hospital appointment gets cancelled or your wait for an ambulance is even longer or your grannies care gets compromised because staff cannot get into work because of your unnecessary greed, don’t go blaming the government. We were all informed that there was plenty of fuel.

If we all use petrol stations as we normally would instead of panic buying then there is plenty to go round for everyone.

[david63]

Cant' argue with that Stephen

[Mervyn and Trish]

The real point of HS2 is not the much quoted reduction on time to get to Birmingham. It's that the West Coast main line is a good deal less than adequate. It's very overcrowded and HS2 will release capacity for more local and slower trains as well as freight.

[Bensham33]

Run out of petrol, use public transport. It ain't that bad.

[Manoverboard]

We ain't got no public transport but we do have plenty of petrol ... just saying

[Bensham33]

Send some our way please MoB. The greedy bar stewards round here have emptied the pumps.

[Mervyn and Trish]

No queue at our Sainsburys.

[Kendhni]

Ah but HS2 is to be scrapped in order to pay for "Insulate Britain". As I have said before you solve one problem and in doing so create several others.

Is that not just the route to Leeds?
That could severely hinder the governments 'level up' plans

If the govt goes ahead with the trans pennine electrification, then that will have a far greater impact on the North's economy than HS2. The east coast mainline route to London is more than adequate, and the time saved via HS2 is of minor importanc, as is London to many northerners.

I have no idea of the demographics of Northern England so can't pass any comment.
I only know what I have read and heard as to the reasoning planners have given for HS2 and why it is so vital for the next generations.

[Kendhni]

Filled both cars today with petrol - no queues.
Although have noticed that central heating oil is up by about 12% in the last couple of weeks ... and here I am sitting on half a tank which I can't squeeze 900L into

[Ranchi]

Was an interesting trip up north. I filled up about 11:30 last night at Oxford. First station had run out & the second only had 2 pumps working. The pump didn’t fill smoothly - but I’m not sure if that was significant. Price was up about 10p per litre. On our journey north we saw moderate queues up to the midlands and then the situation seemed to ease. Prices seemed similar to last week. In our local station it was a bit busier than normal but nothing special. They had run out of E10 petrol. I would guess things will be back to normal early next week, as you can’t fill up an already full tank. I do wonder if it was just a stirring leak to cause a storm in the cup and bring about change.

[Mervyn and Trish]

So Labour are blaming the government (surprise surprise) and Remainers are blaming Brexit.

Let's consider the second. On the figures I've seen only 20% of the driver shortage relates to EU drivers going home. The rest is Covid and a systemic problem in the haulage (and other industries) going back a long time. A problem of low pay and poor conditions.

But let's stick with Brexit. We voted to leave the EU in 2016. So the haulage industry (and others such as the care and hospitality sectors) have had 5 years to get their act in order.

The problem is simple. As soon as Eastern European countries began joining to EU, countries often with low wages and high unemployment, there was suddenly supply of cheap labour, for whom our minimum wage was a fortune at home. And various industries took advantage. Instead of investing in training and offering attractive conditions and pay they settled for taking the cheap labour offered.

Now is the time (in fact way past time) they need to sort themselves out and stop blaming others.

A rough calculation, with numbers that might not be quite accurate but make the sums easy and are illustrative. Suppose we paid lorry drivers £3 an hour more. Suppose their delivery took 10 hours the cost of that delivery increases by £30. If they're carrying 30 tons that's £1 a ton more. That's about one twentieth of a penny more per pound weight. One tenth of a penny on a bag of sugar. Half a penny on a gallon of fuel.

I don't know about you but I'd happily pay that to give the drivers a decent wage and solve the problem.

[barney]

Post of the month Merv

[towny44]

Post of the month Merv

Quite a lot of commen sense, however UK productivity is so poor compared to other major economies, that companies cannot compete if they pay higher wages.
I don't have an answer to how we improve our productivity, but that needs to be corrected before we can start paying better wages.

[barney]

Post of the month Merv

Quite a lot of commen sense, however UK productivity is so poor compared to other major economies, that companies cannot compete if they pay higher wages.
I don't have an answer to how we improve our productivity, but that needs to be corrected before we can start paying better wages.

Most large corporations make literally billions in profits.
Cut the profit a bit and pay a decent, living wage.
They have got fat on the exploitation of workers, safe in the knowledge that the taxpayer will pick up the slack with in work credits.
Why should our tax subsidies Tesco for example?
They make serious profits.

[david63]

there was suddenly supply of cheap labour, for whom our minimum wage was a fortune at home. And various industries took advantage. Instead of investing in training and offering attractive conditions and pay they settled for taking the cheap labour offered.

And let's not forget that during this period we had several hundred thousand (million?) unemployed and living off benefits.

There is one simple answer - to retain your benefits you retrain into an industry that has a low workforce and when a vacancy occurs then you take that job, otherwise loose benefits.

As has been said before, and to some extent this is what Mervyn is saying, there is something wrong with a system where you get paid more for doing nothing that you do for working.

[david63]

Looks as if nothing has changed in the labour Party - the unions are still calling the tune ans as for Ms Rayner words fail me

[screwy]

In regard to Tesco.
They used to have therir own fleet and drivers, drivers were on a very good salary plus perks.Tesco scrapped that and subbed out its deliveries, mainly to Stobbarts who incidently have split into two companies ,retaining the brand name, I'm lead to believe theyre not a good company to work for now, thats what ive been told.!
Conditions in Truck stops still arnt brilliant although if your lucky enough to drive a new age truck they are excellent to live in, lots of comfort.
I tramped around the UK and Europe for 16 years then gave it up and joined HMP.

[screwy]

Looks as if nothing has changed in the labour Party - the unions are still calling the tune ans as for Ms Rayner words fail me

I wont give them or the conference the time of day, would rather watch Strictly and i effing hate that.

[barney]

Looks as if nothing has changed in the labour Party - the unions are still calling the tune ans as for Ms Rayner words fail me

We need to attract Tory voters to win the next election, so let’s start off by slagging them off !
Class.
You literally couldn’t make it up.

[Gill W]

I thought she was talking about Tory ministers, not the voters ?

[david63]

I thought she was talking about Tory ministers, not the voters ?

But don't the voters vote for the ministers, albeit indirectly?

In any case that is no excuse for what she said and if KS is the leader he claims to be he would have her sacked by now.

[screwy]

And there you have it.
This morning the chair of the Petrol retailers association laid the blame for the panic buying at the pumps squarely on the shoulders of a Large media broadcaster for releasing a leaked BP Memo.

[Mervyn and Trish]

And I heard the Road Haulage Association being blamed for leaking it. But neither excuses the idiot sheep panic buying.

[Onelife]

And there you have it.
This morning the chair of the Petrol retailers association laid the blame for the panic buying at the pumps squarely on the shoulders of a Large media broadcaster for releasing a leaked BP Memo.

Broadcasters such as the BBC should understand their purpose, they are there to broadcast the news Not make it!!