Today the
papers report that the BBC has been organising public transport training days for staff who are moving to the new Salford production centre. Apparently the hapless Corporation minions need to know how to use a bus or tram, particularly in the northern wastes of their new homeland. Initially I wondered why the papers hadn't saved this story for April 1st. Then I checked the excellent
Tabloid Watch site in case it was a
Daily Mail special. But no it hasn't been reported as a fake, yet.
But a moment's more thought and it does sound credible. Firstly there will be a huge "relocation communications" budget within the BBC one billion pound moving costs that has to be spent. Bugger the World Service or local radio, this is the bureaucrats' money so is bound to be safe. Secondly BBC staff above a certain grade believe themselves to be too important to travel on the bus (oh the stories I could tell), so some persuasion and basic training may well be in order. It's grim up north.
You are most unsympathetic. Relocating to Manchester is bound to traumatic if you are used to London. I too had occasion to board a bus last year and would have appreciated a prepatory seminar. Have you even been on a bus? Or worse a coach?
ReplyDeleteI spent a lot of this week on tubes and trains in London, Salford trams sound positively salubrious by comparison (with or without the training)
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