We are sorry to announce that the 1537 service to Hexham has been cancelled because your God hates you. Please listen for further announcements.

A common problem if the latest statistics are to be beleived. Of all Northern Rail cancelled trains last year, 16% were caused by God. Even Virgins aren’t safe – 114 of those services were cancelled by Him. Which begs the question: Why do we let Him get away with so much?

Or, more prosaically, in an increasingly secular society, why do we continue to use the ill-defined term ‘Act of God’?

The definition of an Act of God is unclear. It could be the weather, judging by the forms the train companies are required to send to the Department for Transport. But weather is also classified as an “external” factor … The department was unable to define an Act of God

How can transport services ever be improved if reporting procedures mean that we don’t even know what the problem is in the first place?