another example of tax payers money being put to good use

On Friday I came across this government web site Transport Direct it claims to be 'the first complete transport journey planner for Great Britain'.

It has a Door-to-door journey planner that will compare car journeys with national and local public transport (excluding GB internal air). Maps and live travel news.

Sounds good doesn't it.

Being the conscientious and helpful soul that I am I emailed the link to some of my colleagues who travel around the UK extensively for work.

I found this reply in my inbox on Monday morning

From: K
To: All
Re: new web site for journey planning road/rail/air journeys etc

Before anyone uses this and takes it at it's word, I read terrible reviews last week saying that it doesn't always give you the best route, doesn't take into account some modes of transport and basically the report was saying don't bother! What an effective use of public money - not.

One guy was given directions to Portsmouth or similar from London and if he had followed the instructions it would have taken him 9 hrs or something ridiculous instead of tube to Waterloo and train straight to Portsmouth the website suggested some crazy routes and walking between stations etc. Another MP was given silly directions back home to Glasgow taking 15 hrs or so when in fact he knows the journey takes about 5-6 hrs from Westminster by tube/train.

However, I haven't looked at it so am only going on a few media articles....

Just thought I should warn you to be cautious!

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To be fair this is the first version of the site and it is a really good concept. We'll just have to wait and see if the can make a silk purse out of this pigs ear.