Road rage drives me back to trains

I SURRENDER. The white flag is flying from the roof of my car. No longer will I attempt to drive to work, it's public transport for me from now on.

On Tuesday morning it took me one hour and 20 minutes to drive from my home to Holyrood Road, a distance of roughly 13 miles. That's an average speed of 6.6mph – and that was on a route unaffected by tram roadworks, any crashes or even those irksome temporary traffic lights which appear to be everywhere.

When I first moved out of our fair capital city I knew my commuting habits would have to change, especially as the cost of petrol steadily began increasing. So instead of cocooning myself inside my warm vehicle, radio on, coffee by my side, I rather reluctantly (given the horror stories I'd heard from others who were rather strained on taking the train) drove to the station and got on board.

And I have to admit I was amazed. The parking was free, the train was always punctual, the cost was just £5.80 for a return, and even though it was standing all the way it took just 25 minutes to get to Waverley.

But then I got a bit lazy, and thought an extra five minutes in bed wouldn't be so bad if I drove instead (and there was also the benefit of being able to sing along to the radio without raising any eyebrows – even tapping your foot along to your iPod can get you some suspicious glances on the train). And as this bout of sloth-like behaviour began during the school holidays, I breezed into work without a hitch. The only niggle was that on top of petrol, I was also forking out £7 a day parking.

The economic argument then for taking public transport was obvious, but I'd got back into the driving seat habit. Taking the car, I thought, meant I could leave a little later, see more of the kids in the morning, and still be in on time.

Well no longer. Now that normal service has resumed on the roads I have to leave the house at the same time as I would to catch the train, and by the time I reach the Newbridge roundabout, I know it's already at Waverley.

I've even tried to be a bit "clever" and taken a few roundabout routes off the main drag to try to skip the traffic queues. Unsurprisingly that hasn't worked.

And then, of course, there's the return journey in the evening, which isn't too bad until just past Ingliston, where you can sit for 20 minutes trying to get to Newbridge. Which is great... if you're trying to keep up your aeroplane spotting average.

So public transport it is. I've never really had a gripe about the train, given that I've hardly used it in the past. Buses were a different matter. I do think the Greenways work brilliantly – if you can get a bus to your destination – and I'm still putting my faith in the trams revolutionising travel through town. But even when I was living on the west side of Edinburgh, it was still easier for me to take the car, given I had to drop my son off at nursery en-route.

Going by bus then would have meant getting on, getting off, walking ten minutes to the nursery, ten minutes back to the bus stop, waiting again then getting off at the east end of Princes Street and if I was lucky being on time to catch the 36. It was an hour's journey in itself, whereas the car took about 30 minutes.

So First Scotrail I'm relying on you. I am now prepared to live my life according to your timetables.

The only thing I ask from you in return is to maybe put on a couple of extra carriages so more of us can sit down to admire the beautiful Lothian countryside (although the land around Edinburgh Park needs a makeover).

And please, never leave me stranded at Waverley on my way home. After all I do have a car to pick up at my destination.

Best for the fest?
I AM not sure whether the double-headed bill of Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller to launch this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival is a brilliant coup or a terrifying symptom of the public desire to worship celebrity over talent.

Knightley and Miller are young, beautiful girls who will garner a lot of publicity for the festival as soon as they touch down in Edinburgh, but as actresses of stature they leave something to be desired.

Aside from her performances in Bend it Like Beckham and Atonement, Knightley has proved herself to be a skinny girl who looks good in a dress and in front of the camera. But when she opens her mouth . . . well, she just doesn't do it for me.

Miller, on the other hand, has made her name in what movies? Erm . . . pass. But I do know that she had a trendsetting haircut and used to go out with Jude Law, Daniel Craig, and now sees Rhys Ifans.

Hopefully for the festival Knightley and Miller's new movie The Edge of Love will set me straight, and prove that they are actresses worthy of heading our great film fest.

Scaled down
VERY soon an Edinburgh institution will disappear. They may have entertained thousands of bored youngsters over the decades, and had to put up with the odd two-pence landing on their heads, but soon the fish in the Royal Museum on Chambers Street will be homeless as their ponds are drained for good.

A three-year project to transform the museum is about to get under way, and the purification system in the floor that keeps the pools clean is to be moved to make way for a new entrance.

Apparently they will return though – but somewhere else in the revamped museum. In the meantime, it's so long and thanks for all the fish.