The wheels on the bus ....

Once my sons were getting older I swore I'd never have to sing this song again (or grit my teeth through yet another snippet of title music / episode of Thomas the Tank Engine) but I find it keeps springing to mind at the moment.

There has been so much rain in the last few days that my bicycle is back in the garage and I'm making the most of using buses where available. That said, I have my last Parish Council meeting for the month tomorrow night and - you've guessed it - no bus so on my bike for one last ride in the dark.

But I keep coming back to the bus - or lack of it - in almost every meeting I sit in at the moment. In the City the bus service is frequent and reliable. I feel the need to keep reminding people that it's not like that just 6.7 miles from Shire Hall. 2 examples really struck home last week

1) the new blue bins
2) the Library service review.

I could rant for Britain on the subject of recycling so I was really pleased to see my blue bin arrive on Friday. I can recycle lots more - and I'm on a personal quest to see how much I can reduce our kitchen bin rubbish to. BUT ....... and it's a very irritating but .... I now have 4 large bins in my garden and 3 green boxes. The previous owners of my house had a larger family than I do so had a second black bin delivered. I now have 2 black bins, a green one and a blue one - plus those dreaded green boxes. The District Council have organised drop off points for people to return them to local supermarkets and other points - but if you don't drive it's a struggle to get them back by bus. And not everyone wants three garden boxes to grow tomatoes in!

The Library service review is another exercise in reminding people that it's not just distance from something that has to be taken in to consideration - the availability of transport has to run through all service reviews. If something is 7 miles away with no public transport, unless you drive it might aswell be in another County.

I'm in to the last week of my self imposed car and motorbike ban and the only thing I truly miss is the luxury of being able to pop to the shops and do a weekly shop. But it's been a much cheaper month - if we run out we wait until the next planned shop!