Rely on google for travel planning at your peril

Today's mission, should you choose to accept it, is to get from Ascot to Paris... without drama.

"I accept", I thought to myself, and immediately jumped onto Google to devise a plan.

Google says it'll be between 25 and 45 minutes drive from Ascot to Slough station, at that time of day. Arrive in time for the 17.10 express to Paddington. Five stops on the underground, and glide into St Pancras International with 45 minutes to spare before the 19.01 Eurostar to Paris.

You've got to love the Open Data concept making all this timetabling information available. I do also love Google maps for tracking every journey unobtrusively and delivering by far the best 'Sat Nav' I've ever used.

Confident of a solid plan i left the house on the dot of 16.20, leaving time for the Legoland traffic, parking, paying and getting to the platform. Leaving plenty of time for the express 18 minutes to Paddington giving 45 minutes before the Eurostar was due to leave. So far, so good.

Cue the crackly voice over the tannoy.. "We regret to inform passengers that the 17.10 to Paddington has been cancelled".

Oh crap.

"Passengers wishing to travel to Paddington, please go to platform 5 for the stopping service leaving at 17.14." A stopping service that takes 38 mins, NOT 18 mins.

Ok google, what do you have to say for yourself? Lulling me into a false sense of security, assuming UK trains run when they should.

Don't panic reader, my 2012 New Year resolution comes up trumps again. That year I decided to be everywhere 15 minutes early - on top of any contingency needed. That one resolution has single-handedly reduced my daily stress ten fold.

So, with the 24 minute train delay, minus my 15 mins, I arrived at St Pancras 6 minutes before the check-in closed.

Now, here's a suggestion, Google. We all mostly understand probability. Why not take the published reliability figures for every train service and overlay a UK-rail-delay-modifier?

"The likelihood of this train running on time is 87%. Your arrival is expected at 18.15, but you may arrive 24 minutes later. You can save 24 minutes and take the risk, or have a 99.5% chance of arriving by 19.39."

For casual beers-with-friends arrangements, I'll take the risk. For a connection to Eurostar, a customer meeting, or a West End show, I'll play it safe.

The data is there to be used. The algorithm is trivial. So, come on Google... we're relying on you now!

And I shouldn't have worried. The 19.01 Eurostar was delayed anyway. Of course.