Living where I do, and working in North London, I’m a frequent user of the Silverlink Metro ’service’ between Stratford and Highbury and Islington.  I’m reluctant to call it a service, as actually, Silverlink don’t really provide much of one, to be honest.

I couldn’t count the number of delays I’ve experienced in my three years in Stratford.  Trains frequently depart up to 30 minutes late, and on more than one occasion they’ve run with more than an hour’s delay. In the morning and evening they’re usually full to bursting point, and there’s always someone banging on the window with an angry face shouting for people to move further down the carriage … if only we could!  

There’s the usual B.O., smelly food and loud music on ‘personal’ stereos that one comes to expect from public transport in London.  And there’s never anyone around from Silverlink to tell you what the feck is going on when a train fails to turn up.

All in all, it’s pretty dire …

So, I’m sure you’ll understand why I felt a certain amount of solidarity with the commuters at Buenos Aires’ Constitucion station last week. 

Perhaps I should follow their lead and invest in a box of matches.