Scotland strikes: Public transport in the UK is broken, and it needs a seismic shake up to become relevant again

My partner recently moved to Poland due to a lack of teaching jobs in the UK.

The difference in the two countries has been something of an adjustment to say the least, but one thing that has stood out is the move to an efficient, reliable public transport network.

The UK finds itself without trains across much of the country today amid industrial action, with buses full as folk brave the extreme elements to get to work or town. Perhaps one consolation for those impacted by strike action is that with the extreme cold and winter weather, it was likely that had services been running today, they would have likely been disrupted.

When it is too cold, services stop running, and winter tyres or chains are not a legal requirement like elsewhere in Europe. When it is too warm, roads melt and services stop running. Other countries, while more used to such weather, do not have the same issues.

Southeastern trains parked in sidings near Ashford station in Kent, during a strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), in a long-running dispute over jobs and pensions. Picture date: Tuesday December 13, 2022.

We need to embrace a simple fact. Public transport in the UK is broken and it needs a seismic shake-up to become relevant with Joe Public once again.

The proposed 12-route Clyde Metro and tram extensions in Edinburgh are at least something that provide a different approach. We need more cheap travel options, more greener ways of travelling and more convenient transport options.

Putting green zones and bus lanes in place without increasing services or incentivising members of the public will not work. Incentivising transport with greater ticket deals, gig or event special services, apps that work seamlessly across all public transport networks in cities and better services are just a few basic steps that would bring us up to speed with other nations.

The next time I visit Poland, I will use one app and one ticket to go on trains, buses, trams and the metro. When I last used ScotRail, I needed to change the return destination on my initial ticket and I left with four paper tickets and a letter confirming I had paid the 70p upgrade charge.

Chronic underinvestment in people, services and proper systems are now coming back to haunt us. And alarmingly, amid global warming and climate change, these problems are only going to get worse unless we act now.