We decided to travel to Leeds by train to see the Christmas illuminations.

We took the bus to the station. According to the First York app it was due in six minutes. After waiting about five minutes the bus disappeared from the app and we waited another 15 mins for the next one. This seems to happen quite regularly: annoying when waiting in the rain.

Arriving at the station all went well and we arrived at Leeds on time. On arriving back at Leeds station to come home, however, the first problem was knowing which of the trains stopping at York we could use. Our ticket was restricted to TransPennineExpress. None of the signs indicated the operator. We eventually found the right platform only to find that the first train expected had been cancelled. The next was delayed 19 minutes and the following train also cancelled.

Within two minutes of our train’s intended arrival, it was announced that the platform had been changed. About 50 people had to dash across Leeds station to the new location. Eventually we all boarded only for the delayed train to be delayed further before leaving Leeds. Then, shortly after setting off, the guard announced that ‘This TransPennineExpress service to Newcastle will now terminate at York due to a broken rail’. OK for us but what about those passengers who had already suffered delays and cancellations?

Finally arriving back at York, we heard this announcement as we crossed the bridge: “We would like to apologise to passengers for the service delays in the direction of Kings Cross due to a signalling fault.”

Public transport just could not cope if only a small proportion of us were to stop using our cars.

Harry Edessis,

Osbaldwick, York