UK buses?

2007-10-26T02:54:05+02:00

Why on Earth does the government think that we will take every opportunity to use public transport? It's all very honourable to be green, but when a bus ride costs £1.40 I think it's a little unrealistic to expect we will all rush to the nearest shelter at that price.
I have just come back from Spain where a bus will cost you €0.74 (around 55p) without a €5 card, and with the card each subsequent bus ride is likely to cost €0.37 (about 26p).
Until the bus companies are subsidised and encouraged to drastically lower their prices, I think people will be content with the reliable, private little car. Even people wishing to go "green".

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Injustices in the UK university system

2007-09-08T10:52:11+02:00

I am a UK student with nowhere to turn but to the internet to air my grievances with the university system in the UK. There is a huge injustice in the way the UK universities are run, which has led to my leaving the Labour party after being considered a staunch supporter: but people are either too blind or arrogant to see that everything that is happening is leading to trouble.

When I was 16, having no political voice or power to decide on which government would enter Parliament, the Higher Education Act 2004 was signed. This led to top up fees of £3000 per year being charged to students in UK universities. Even this I would not mind, but for the fact that not everyone is charged such fees: English students must pay £3000 for all universities, Scottish people must pay the old fees (around £1,300 a year) in their own universities as do the Welsh.

Even this is would not be such a huge problem (apart from the fact that the bill was passed with only a majority of 3 MPs- and 46 Scottish MPs voted on the issue which would not affect Scotland), but for the fact that Scottish universities charge European students from outside the UK only £1,300 as well!

This means that non-UK students are being prioritised in Scotland over English UK students when it comes to the admission of students in Scottish institutions. Furthermore, in 2007 it was announced by the Scottish Parliament that as of next year Scottish students will get free university tuition once again, and a year later grants to students will be re-implemented.

I was once a member of the Labour party and a unionist, but the very fact that the Higher Education Act was passed by a majority relying on Scottish MPs and only works in Scotland to discriminate against the English enrages me.

Such laws only work to feed resentment, and the fact that the UK taxpayers (predominantly English) are paying for free Scottish universities (as Scotland is a net tax receiver) is an outrage.

To add insult to injury, all of the jobs associated with student finance (ie the Student Loans Company), are located in Scotland. Even though Scottish universities are free for Scottish residents, and even though the Scottish students face none of the penalties for attending higher education, all of the jobs related to universities go to those who have no right to them.

Please comment on this blog to show me if I really am the only one who feels that this is an unjust system, or to correct any facts which I may have got wrong.

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http://shortstraw.blog.co.uk/

UK buses?

Injustices in the UK university system