Question time
Listening to the Mayor’s question time this month one felt there were more important issues to discuss than the amount of time spent talking about London buses and the introduction of a new Routemaster complete with conductor and rear platform. The Mayor confirmed there was to be a competition for the best design which would be held on July 4th! He said he was looking for a lighter and more fuel efficient design. The new buses would also be a hop-on and hop-off service.
He also confirmed he had no problems with motorcycles using bus lanes.
Was the Freedom Pass threatened by the action of Bromley council? He said not and that he wanted its use extended to twenty four hours. He also wants the bicycle hire scheme to go ahead. And a week later (19th June) Mr Johnson celebrated his 44th birthday.
Pensioners hopping mad
News that their savings were diminishing at the rate of £4 for every hundred saved has not brought smiles to pensioners faces and nor has the news that a further rise in energy costs will take their annual bills to around £1,500. £30 a week from a meagre basic pension will take even more old people in to real poverty.
The government are insisting that pay rises should only be in the region of 2% yet when it comes to deciding what local authorities pay their staff the usual round of increases will automatically go through forcing Council Tax up again. If the rest of us can live on our dormant salaries why can’t those who work for councils and the government?
Rag and Bone Man
I could hardly believe my ears last week when I heard the distinct clip, clop of a horses hoof and a cry from Sidcup’s only rag and bone man. What a grand sight in this modern world. Let’s hope residents support him.
Fuel prices
It would be remiss of me not to mention the continuing hike in the price of oil. I was once involved in this business and met lots of people who owned supply companies and actual oil fields. Red Adair shared a pitch with us once at the big international oil show in Tulsa. A really friendly guy who knew just about anybody worth knowing in the business. Then you could buy a ‘barrel’ of oil for less than $2. I can’t help feeling those who are squeezing every cent they can from the market place have lost sight of cause and effect. They have created the cause (high prices) and the effect is that new research money is pouring in to alternative forms of energy. The car makers are already producing vehicles with decent mileage's - Toyota up to 500 miles now on hybrid fuel.
Of course the present crisis will continue for a while despite the fact there are still reserves in the world which will last another hundred years but as new energy sources come on stream the oil producing countries might yet live to rue the day they embarked on plundering end users. A friend remarked the other day that oil/gas was perhaps the best weapon the Russians ever had in their armoury!
Royal Mail
How to force a management buy-out! Run the business down and take it over on the cheap. Have you noticed that the Royal Mail has steadily closed down outlets and reduced deliveries and of course charged more for their daft size letters selection. But have you also noticed their latest ploy? Next time you pass a letterbox you will see that the last collection is now 5-30pm NOT 6pm.
Another nice time-saving move to suit Royal Mail but not itsusers.