Re: Train drivers pay in UK

["John Kerley" <deaftech@ozemail.com.au>]

Marvin The Martian <choochoo72@spin.net.au> wrote in message
3A14CD31.AD7EC0B4@spin.net.au">news:3A14CD31.AD7EC0B4@spin.net.au...
> What is the cost of living compared to here in Aus?
>
Depends where you are, and what your fancies are.

I have just come back from 5 months in the UK. Up north where I was based
you can live for about the same cost as Aus, even when using our current
devalued exchange rate.  For example you could buy a two bedroomed flat in
Southport, about 20 miles north of Liverpool, for under 30,000 quid i.e.,
$81,000, which you would be hard pressed to do in Melbourne.  Even train
travel which is often said to be expensive, and is if you pay full-fare, is
quite reasonable once you know how to work the system.  For example,
Southport-London return (213 miles each way) was about GBP145 for an open
standard (economy) return whereas if you booked 7 days in advance and
travelled of peak, you could get it for GBP20, which is quite good value,
even by Australian standards. Interestingly, there is no VAT (GST) on rail
fares.  The Merseyrail off peak all zones ticket, similar to Melbourne's
zone 1,2,3 ticket I think cost about GBP3.50($9.50)

Food, especially if you are a veggie, is quite good value also.  "Homebrand"
bread cost only 15p for a 800g loaf and even proper bread was only 50p
($1.35).  Milk was about 74p($2.00) for 2 litres.

However, if you were a non public transport using, gas guzzling car driver
who likes steaks and lives in London, then that's another story.  Petrol
cost 85p($2.30) a litre - and we winge about the cost of petrol!  It
explains why so many Brits travel by train and drive little cars. There is a
message here somewhere.

However back to the original question - Do the Brits have a higher standard
of living - without a doubt, yes.
I lived there in the seventies and early eighties and returned to Aus for
the higher standard of living, as well as a bit of sun!  Nowdays the
situation is completely reversed.  I would be heaps better off if I had
stayed - silly me - but at least we will still have some sun.  Australia
really has become the economic arsehole of the universe!

Cheers,

John Kerley