From someone who's lived in London in the past and spent a lot of time back and forth, and spent a lot of time in other countries, seriously your public transport in the UK is far better than small countries like NZ. At least you have a large population to sustain the infrastructure to have a half way decent train and tube system.
We only have buses, ferries & 2 rail tracks in Auckland, the biggest city in NZ. Literally a total joke. Our motorways and main arteries are clogged, rather like a serious heart attack victim in the wait. Our main harbour crossing, the Auckland Harbour Bridge between North and the rest of Auckland, they have finally announced (we were waiting for it) is carrying far more traffic than it can cope with, and waiting for a catastrophic failure.
I do hear you though Nixy. Many a time been caught on the tube, in the dark, waiting until something is fixed. On the upside, at least you made it there and back.
Lovely places south like the IOW and Wilts, gorgeous, but sometimes, the big smoke calls.