For thousands of our readers the daily train journey to London is a necessary evil.

But after paying sometimes £3,000 a year to travel from the coast or Mid Sussex they expect a little comfort.

So overcrowded carriages, delays, dirty stations and poor announcements should not have to be suffered.

These are unnecessary evils in the year 2000.

Most commuters agree the service provided by Connex is, for one reason or another, inadequate.

Rival operator Govia has promised to invest a further £1.5 billion if it gets the South Central rail franchise announced next month.

Connex in turn says it will put in £1.4 billion if it retains it.

Whatever happens, all the beleaguered commuter cares about is getting to work on time and with the minimum hassle.

The Shadow Strategic Rail Authority is deciding which bid to choose at the moment.

In the words of the shopowner's favourite cliche, it should make sure the customer comes first. Promises must be kept this time.

In jeopardy Shoreham Airport has had to suspend its scheduled flights to the Continent after just six weeks because of a shortage of engineers.

Operator Sky-Trek says it is thinking of discontinuing the service if it cannot find enough staff.

A golden opportunity would be lost for an airport placed perfectly to capitalise on the growing business travel market.

The economies of Brighton, Shoreham and Worthing would also suffer.

Airport manager Mike Haffenden has big and exciting plans for Shoreham.

Let's make sure they aren't grounded by the dead weight of a skills shortage.

Graduate life Charles Webb, the author who gave the world the novel-turned-film which the defined the Sixties, The Graduate, is living above a shop in Newhaven.

He says his disillusioned hero Ben Braddock would do the same in real life, his only extravagance being a trip to Sainsbury's.

Given the mayhem he caused in the aisle at the end of the film, that might not be such a good idea after all.