Thursday, April 28, 2011

Bus Beeching Cuts Strike for Sundays & Evenings


Major changes to Swindon buses services will result in entire areas of town without services on evenings and Sundays from June.

Who's responsible for this change? Profiteering bus companies? No, your own, they-work-for-you, Swindon Borough Council.

Council subsidies being withdrawn almost entirely (which has never happened to this degree before) will leave some areas will no services after eight in the evening. However, Kingsdown and Highworth come off worse, with no service for either area on Sundays, at all.

So if you use the bus for getting to work on Sunday mornings, to go shopping, to meet friends in the evenings, then your quality of life is about to seriously change.

Some will say, it's only, mostly empty buses being cut, but how would car drivers feel if all main roads were closed and gated off after 7pm in the evenings, or weren't open at all on Sundays?

The ability to get from A to B isn't a luxury, it's a basic right and when that's taken away, or severely limited, you're heading down a dangerous path of potentially pushing up an indicator of poverty.

Swindon Centric Says ; Why didn't Swindon Borough Council throw open it's process on these changes and start a town-wide debate on the changes?

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Rotten Borough's Wi-Failed Makes Private Eye Again


Swindon Borough Council's dalliance with Digital City and it's promises the morning after have, for a 3rd time, made the 'Rotten Boroughs' column of Private Eye magazine.

This is on top of last week's news that the wi-fi had won an award. Strangely, when the Adver's Adam Kula (a massive tip of the hat to him, as he's hit the ground running in terms of reporting the town's politics) tried to contact the government magazine that gave the award, the person responsible was said to be climbing a mountain in Nepal.

Could that be the same mountain that everyone's favourite former CEO of Digital City is also climbing?

Swindon Centric Says ; Three strikes and you're out, wind up Digital City now and lets crack on with the daylight-filled investigation of how, what, why and when.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Rotten Borough Tories Sit On Own Bomb... Then Blame Plunger Manufacturer

In the most naff move seen since someone paired Mick Fleetwood and Sam Fox to host an awards show, the Conservatives in Swindon have begun to eat themselves, it's official!

The Adver have been informed that the Swindon Tories are to lodge a formal complaint about Labour Group leader Derique Montaut, as the embarrassing report on English Heritage's assessment of the Council's urgent works on the Mechanics' Institute was leaked to them by him, while at the same time threatening to make a complaint about the Adver covering this new development in the story.

This is despite the Adver learning of this latest twist from the Conservative group itself!!

WTF!?

Swindon Centric Says ; Take out the trash stories tomorrow include : 'Tories Start To Eat Young, Digital City Wi-Fi bought by Lex Luthor and 'Enslaving Population To Build Vanity Canal Deemed Legal by Council Leader'

PS - Dave King and all on the Hill, you have Swindon Centric's support on this bizzare and stupid turn of events, take them on, go on!

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Top Ten Things Heard On Swindon's Buses Last Week ; 197


Click here for the original and still the best at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. He dances better than he talks.

9. I've never seen a girl like that, I literally have no opinion at all on her outfit.

8. No, don't change it until the drop, it's sick.

7. The 5th one keeps being rumoured all over online, what more can they do?

6. I told him he can't talk that loudly in a quiet street, he's bound to hear you.

5. Don't suspect just because I don't eat chocolate that I don't know one end of a wispa from another.

4. I got less marks on the main, but more on the supplementary, so I'm at the same place I was last time.

3. They're being called the 10 Commandments, the folk in marketing reckon it'll catch on.

2. It's surprising what you can hear by listening at keyholes.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. Compassion is hugely underrated, rather like BBC 4.

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.

Sunday, April 03, 2011

Top Ten Things Heard On Swindon's Buses Last Week : 196


Click here for the original and still the best at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. Hey na na, what's my name... Barbara.

9. It's lighter for a whole hour more and I'm still stuck in a windowless box.

8. You need a better plan, because this one's more useless than an ethical foreign policy.

7. Don't encourage that cat, we don't need another one.

6. I like your hair, because before it only looked half finished.

5. She'll be none the wiser, we'll not tell her.

4. I said get up, what did you think I said?

3. I don't think the Gaga is of this world.

2. There's no sexier postcode than SN25, except maybe 90210.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. It's not as if I walk around in nothing but my underwear all day, unless it's a Thursday.

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.

Friday, April 01, 2011

Top Ten Things Heard On Swindon's Buses Last Week ; 195


Click here for the original and still the best at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. A push and shove job, come on.

9. Greatest British movie ever made?

8. There's so much froth I could open a cappuccino bar.

7. There's an unknown number on the top deck.

6. Whalebridge will gridlock the entire side of the town centre.

5. I'm trying not to panic, but I haven't been out since the weekend.

4. It's a great book for this route.

3. Stop ranting on your phone.

2. It's eye-rolling in the extreme.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. There goes Herme, Seagull and the King!

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.

Top Ten Things Heard On Swindon's Buses Last (Last) Week ; 194


Click here for the original and still the best at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. I can see the rich people from my house.

9. I was going to catch the earlier one, but I woke up 5 minutes after it had gone.

8. Is the blue part of the pattern?

7. As long as it rhymes, you've got a marketing jingle.

6. But I don't know who that is.

5. Fry off the sauce, let it thicken up and serve with some bread.

4. I'm never drinking wine again, ever.

3. Everything she's thinking she says, whether it's insulting or not.

2. There's a drinking game involving the Lib Dems, let me think of the rules.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. Let the battle of the buses commence!

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.

Top Ten Things Heard On Swindon's Buses Last (Last, Last) Week ; 193


Click here for the original and still the best at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. Hope it gets driven away, it's so loud.

9. The character he pretends to be is more irritating than him normally.

8. Politicians just have to care less about trying to keep their job.

7. He's no longer the Chief Executive, I think Sooty replaces him.

6. They'll try and save it, but it won't work.

5. Muffins are a poor, weedy substitute for a massive piece of chocolate.

4. In Italy they don't permit chavs.

3. There's dirty all over the floor, don't put it THERE!

2. I'm quite happy getting the bus, no fuss for me.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. Don't look to your left, that guy from Saturday is right there.

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.