Tuesday, September 21. 2010
Chimney swept - have you had yours done yet?
Just had the Chimney swept. A nice chap from Sootys in Great Shefford came along and sorted us out. We've had quite a few sweeps over the years, but it's good to find someone that knows what they are doing, provides documentation and is nice to talk to - so thanks to Simon Watkins from Sootys for a great job. If your looking for a chimney sweep in West Berkshire call him on 01488 649028 or on his mobile 07787 416005. Alternatively look on the NACS web site here.
Tuesday, September 14. 2010
Vodafone just don't quite get the parking problem
The article in last weeks Newbury Weekly News discusses the problem with the parking at Vodafone in Newbury. Essentially all contractors have been asked to park away from the main site and catch a bus. Vodafone's response to the problem is an obvious and typical corporate response - we will put on more buses between the sites.
Vodafone could consider a different approach:
1. Favour local resources that have access to the bus services offered by Vodafone - local jobs for local people. Put this in their contract terms to all firms supplying contract workers and take away the additional parking spaces.
2. Promote home working - this improves quality of life. If 1 in 3 people at Vodafone requiring a parking space worked at home the problem would go away.
3. Move the offices from a road/car dependant location to one easily served by buses and trains (oh hang on - they have just done the opposite of this :S)
Of course, there is still the question of these massive numbers of Vodafone buses running around mostly empty. Perhaps Vodafone can consider allowing people to travel in them free along the routes they travel? This could save off-set an enormous number of cars between Thatcham, Newbury and surrounding areas; and would be an enormous give back from Vodafone to the community of Newbury and West Berkshire.
Vodafone could consider a different approach:
1. Favour local resources that have access to the bus services offered by Vodafone - local jobs for local people. Put this in their contract terms to all firms supplying contract workers and take away the additional parking spaces.
2. Promote home working - this improves quality of life. If 1 in 3 people at Vodafone requiring a parking space worked at home the problem would go away.
3. Move the offices from a road/car dependant location to one easily served by buses and trains (oh hang on - they have just done the opposite of this :S)
Of course, there is still the question of these massive numbers of Vodafone buses running around mostly empty. Perhaps Vodafone can consider allowing people to travel in them free along the routes they travel? This could save off-set an enormous number of cars between Thatcham, Newbury and surrounding areas; and would be an enormous give back from Vodafone to the community of Newbury and West Berkshire.
