(11 Feb 2015, 10:20 pm)Andreos1 wrote At the risk of going off topic - research will have been done, loads (according to Dan) were good when it first started. So the question needs to be asked as to why loads tailed off.


Organisations such as Valley Links (think that is the name), try and promote alternative modes of transport to the car. Maybe there needs to be more done.

I have been racking my brains and thinking back to when I was in your situation and relying on public transport and I am pretty sure the question was asked, but this was based on working outside normal 9-5 hrs - for instance dealing with deliveries and was aimed at finding out how flexible I could be.
Living half an hour away and relying on a half hourly bus service, would not have given the employer the flexibility they may have needed or wanted at the time.

Of course, I told them about public transport and how the folks could drive and drop me off if needed. Obviously the folks had no idea I had volunteered them for taxi duties, but it gave me the upper hand to those relying on the bus.

My older Brother works for Convergys and they promote Employees Cycling to Work, out of that they paid Half of what my Brothers Bike cost due an Initive they set up with Halfords, I am aware others elsewhere, a few of which you have mentioned Andreos1.

I also have a Bike but it needs repairing, so that would give me an Advantage if I was to get a Job in the Washington Area, as for Buses I have an excellent Service which gets me around the most of Washington, again its the same for Newcastle/Sunderland and Durham, I just have the issue of Employers not giving me a Job due to using the Bus and thinking I live Miles away.

I am going to have a sit down with my Ingeus Advisor on Friday to see if there is anything we can do, probably not but hey-ho something will come eventually.