Public transport in a pickle?

Public transport companies must be scratching their heads right now. Are soaring fuel prices a good or a bad thing? Stagecoach, the owner of South West Trains, has certainly seen a boost in sales - up 16 per cent in the year to 30 April - as people hop onto buses and trains instead of paying at the pump. But there’s a downside too. The bus companies now have to pay much more for their own fuel supplies and face political flak if fares rise too fast. On top of all this, more passengers means more congestion and more complaints. The bus companies are playing with fire and they are sure to get burnt. The real question is by whom? Will it be the passengers, angry with the cramped conditions and furious at the general state of public transport? Or will rising fuel costs prove just too expensive? Only time will tell...