It used to be that one of the civil service departments running the oldest version of Windows was the DVLA^▸ (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency), it was ancient even by the NHS systems I work with.

_{Edit: Fix quotes (Red Squirrel)}

The most-bashed bridge, at 33 times in the last 12 months

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-63636260

and

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/stories/most-bashed-bridge-in-britain-revealed/

although the figures don't seem to add up.

Station Road in Langley, Berkshire gets an honourable mention with only 12 strikes.

Went out yesterday to have a look/ It is the section from the end of Mill Road round the gravel pits. Barriered off with a large puddle/lake in front of the barrier, I would expect it will still be there when the have done the work.

Interesting how you can always see new things. At the junction between Mill Road and Burghfield Road, just behind the Bridge Cafe (long closed) is this
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4306868,-1.0231364,3a,75y,136.57h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBxGXO7PU7eqx3v8uEy6HTQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Part of the GHQ Blue line of defences constructed during WWII^▸ (World War 2 - 1939 to 1945). Going up and down Burghfield Road you easily miss, probably more concerned about not meeting a tipper, skip, or concrete lorry.

My other half was an architect where there was initial design concept done for Reading Green Park at least 20 years ago.

It also doesn't help that the station etc straddles three local authorities, none of whom are particularly good at internal communication let alone between each other.

It will be very interesting to see what its usage figures are five years after opening, will probably be the most expensive station per passenger.

PDF at https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5803/ldselect/ldbuiltenv/89/89.pdf

I assume that there will be more cyclists using the old Gas Works bridge as the Grandpont bridge will probably still be closed.

Is there a convenient definition and general guidance on excess fares.

Finally managed to get one from a Southern train the other weekend (£0.00), rather than just being charged for the leg of the journey.

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/news/2022/october/improvement-works-begin-on-active-travel-route-in-west-berkshire/

I am not entirely clear where they mean "The stretch of traffic-free path starting at the southern end of Mill Road, Burghfield is being upgraded."

I would like to think it is the stretch that leaves the K&A tow path (just along from The Cunning Man PH) and joins Mill Road, which tends to be a quagmire in winter. Even better would be the stretch further west that then goes round the gravel pits, although I thought this was a private road.

No, people should be able to rely on the train, was my answer.
Not having a car at my disposal the alternatives are not great. As suggested elsewhere on the forum it helps to have a passable knowledge of the railway system, so you can create a get you home route (talk of upping penalty fares could make this difficult).

Work travel tends involved Reading going in the London direction, where the alternatives to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), are the Elizabeth Line, South Western or for a very early start the 702 bus from Reading. Other points on the route, Maidenhead and Slough etc are doable in combination with the bike.

Non-work tends to be a case of don't do it, unless there is a bus alterative. If I want to go to Basingstoke it is a bus tour via Newbury bus station. Most other local towns are reachable direct.

The rail-adapted Land Rover is certainly not new

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/539376492852885669/

an old Land Rover publicity photo of a Series II Land Rover (NOT Defender).

Seeing as it is now some years since Land Rover built any practical vehicles it would probably come down to something like Unimog for new builds

https://www.solytek.com/fr/vehicules-rail-route/

This morning's BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) News speculated that Shapps would be back at DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)??

On Saturday at Reading the 10:51 to Bournemouth was cancelled (next service about 2 hours) because of a lack of driver, when it came in from Manchester.

The four coach train was decanted into the "Basingstoke Flyer", which just happened to be two coaches (?) on this occasion. A somewhat "cosy" trip to Basingstoke. At Basingstoke everybody went to platform one. Two minutes before the Southampton (and onwards) train arrived, platform alteration to platform two. Not exactly chaos but a certain amount of pushing and shoving.

Could be worse, but not exactly the way to endear yourself to your passengers. Fortunately rest of my connections to IoW were fine.

... and for how long?

I like the phrase
I presume like when the other half asks where I am going on the bike, "I am following the front wheel". Potential for seeing some where different, or differently.

T%he announcements I heard at Basingstoke on Saturday said the problem was due to a national shortage of bus drivers.