<https://images.cm.archant.co.uk/resource/image/9095806/landscape_ratio
16x9/640/360/44ce026e7f066ab75c7495c4c52e850e/kT/webimage-87bcbd5f-9d4f-
4e5f-8e063280af67da5b.png>

Is becoming a bit of a local issue. The main story is the government
close to deciding to scrap the £450m North Ely junction improvements.
What they really need to be doing is stripping off the Network Rail gold
plating, and doing whatever £50m would deliver, even if that means a
couple of byways still have level crossings.
--
Roland Perry

On 24/06/2022 14:52, Roland Perry wrote:
> <https://images.cm.archant.co.uk/resource/image/9095806/landscape_ratio16x9/640/360/44ce026e7f066ab75c7495c4c52e850e/kT/webimage-87bcbd5f-9d4f-4e5f-8e063280af67da5b.png>

Is that the URL you intended to post? It links to an image of two people who
appear to be standing on an electrified railway. There is no story.

> Is becoming a bit of a local issue. The main story is the government
> close to deciding to scrap the £450m North Ely junction improvements.
> What they really need to be doing is stripping off the Network Rail gold
> plating, and doing whatever £50m would deliver, even if that means a
> couple of byways still have level crossings.

Roger Lynn <usenet@rilynn.me.uk> wrote:
> On 24/06/2022 14:52, Roland Perry wrote:
> > <https://images.cm.archant.co.uk/resource/image/9095806/landscape_ratio16x9/640/360/44ce026e7f066ab75c7495c4c52e850e/kT/webimage-87bcbd5f-9d4f-4e5f-8e063280af67da5b.png>
>
> Is that the URL you intended to post? It links to an image of two people who
> appear to be standing on an electrified railway. There is no story.

The regular 'story' being people on the permanent way for a photo
opportunity without appropriate trackside training or PPE, putting
themselves at risk of being hit by a train. In particular politicians who
should know better.

They're a regular feature of press releases from NR / BTP like this one:
https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/rail-safety-warning-as-crossing-users-seen-taking-selfies-and-lying-on-the-track-in-derbyshire

In message <oq8hoi-9dd.ln1@castle.rilynn.me.uk>, at 18:28:24 on Fri, 24
Jun 2022, Roger Lynn <usenet@rilynn.me.uk> remarked:
>On 24/06/2022 14:52, Roland Perry wrote:
>>
>><https://images.cm.archant.co.uk/resource/image/9095806/landscape_ratio
>>16x9/640/360/44ce026e7f066ab75c7495c4c52e850e/kT/webimage-87bcbd5f-9d4f
>>-4e5f-8e063280af67da5b.png>
>
>Is that the URL you intended to post? It links to an image of two
>people who appear to be standing on an electrified railway. There is no
>story.

Normally, people standing on railway tracks for a photo-opportunity
(whether it's electrified or not) is "a story".

>> Is becoming a bit of a local issue. The main story is the government
>> close to deciding to scrap the £450m North Ely junction improvements.
>> What they really need to be doing is stripping off the Network Rail gold
>> plating, and doing whatever £50m would deliver, even if that means a
>> couple of byways still have level crossings.

--
Roland Perry

In message <3Dz*KtyRy@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>, at 20:42:11 on Fri,
24 Jun 2022, Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> remarked:
>Roger Lynn <usenet@rilynn.me.uk> wrote:
>> On 24/06/2022 14:52, Roland Perry wrote:
>> > <https://images.cm.archant.co.uk/resource/image/9095806/landscape
>> >_ratio16x9/640/360/44ce026e7f066ab75c7495c4c52e850e/kT/webimage-
>> >87bcbd5f-9d4f-4e5f-8e063280af67da5b.png>
>>
>> Is that the URL you intended to post? It links to an image of two people who
>> appear to be standing on an electrified railway. There is no story.
>
>The regular 'story' being people on the permanent way for a photo
>opportunity without appropriate trackside training or PPE, putting
>themselves at risk of being hit by a train. In particular politicians who
>should know better.
>
>They're a regular feature of press releases from NR / BTP like this one:
>https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/rail-safety-warning-as-
>crossing-users-seen-taking-selfies-and-lying-on-the-track-in-derbyshire

Including this his one here (four councillors, one later to become
mayor, and an MEP) trespassing in 2013 on the live tracks where they
were campaigning for the reopening of Soham Station

<https://images.cm.archant.co.uk/resource/image/4712972/portrait_ratio4
x5/640/800/54286110fbcd32796c235f1956cb7ed0/Mu/ely-news-
42-sohamstation.jpg>
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
> <https://images.cm.archant.co.uk/resource/image/9095806/landscape_ratio
> 16x9/640/360/44ce026e7f066ab75c7495c4c52e850e/kT/webimage-87bcbd5f-9d4f-
> 4e5f-8e063280af67da5b.png>
>
> Is becoming a bit of a local issue. The main story is the government
> close to deciding to scrap the £450m North Ely junction improvements.
> What they really need to be doing is stripping off the Network Rail gold
> plating, and doing whatever £50m would deliver, even if that means a
> couple of byways still have level crossings.

One of the people looks rather like the Foreign Secretary, but I expect
she’d be too busy to stand on a railway for a local story.

Sam

--
The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
Spit the dummy to reply

In message <t96f8v$4ev$1@dont-email.me>, at 07:59:27 on Sat, 25 Jun
2022, Sam Wilson <ukr@dummy.wislons.fastmail.co.uk> remarked:
>Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>> <https://images.cm.archant.co.uk/resource/image/9095806/landscape_ratio
>> 16x9/640/360/44ce026e7f066ab75c7495c4c52e850e/kT/webimage-87bcbd5f-9d4f-
>> 4e5f-8e063280af67da5b.png>
>>
>> Is becoming a bit of a local issue. The main story is the government
>> close to deciding to scrap the £450m North Ely junction improvements.
>> What they really need to be doing is stripping off the Network Rail gold
>> plating, and doing whatever £50m would deliver, even if that means a
>> couple of byways still have level crossings.
>
>One of the people looks rather like the Foreign Secretary, but I expect
>she’d be too busy to stand on a railway for a local story.

The line serves her constituency, and she's been campaigning for
improvements to the rail service for years.

Here she is being "absolutely delighted" at the go-ahead being given
10yrs ago for the £25m upgrade.

Hang on a moment, where's the other £425m suddenly come from ????

<https://www.elizabethtruss.com/news/ely-north-junction-upgrade-take-
place>

And again in 2017 (there are stories probably more than annually)

<https://www.cambstimes.co.uk/news/at-the-front-of-the-queue-
improvement-plans-at-ely-4887028>

At least this time they stood on the platform, not the rails.

And £8.8m just to "study" it.
--
Roland Perry