General Discussion
Just as a matter of Interest. Cross Country are not going to fix trains that brake down when they get salty seawater In there electrics. It will be too expensive say Cross Country.
This matter of the reports (or lack of reports to be more precise) has just been raised at Prime Minister's questions by the MP for Torbay.
I'll post the MP's question and the PM's response when today's Hansard comes out.
@stephen15. Ta
This is the Q&A as per Hansard
As my right hon. Friend knows, the peninsula rail taskforce is set to deliver its report on a resilient railway to Devon and Cornwall. Would he be willing to meet me and a number of colleagues to ensure that Network Rail and the taskforce have enough funding for the two studies into the electrification of the line and the necessary reduction of journey times?
I had an excellent meeting with the south-west peninsula rail taskforce, which has been working closely with the Government. I will make sure that we continue to liaise closely with it. Clearly, we need to find an answer and we need to find the funding to make it work. We cannot allow to happen what happened in the past when a problem on our railways led to the peninsula being cut off. We cannot see that happen again.
When the PM speaks of needing to find the funding I wonder what he has in mind?
Does he mean central government will find the funds or does he expect local authorities in the south west to do so, as, I understand, has so far been the case.
From yesterday's Commons debate:
Rail Infrastructure: South-west
15. Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab): What additional investment the Government plan to make in rail infrastructure in the south-west during this Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [903324]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Claire Perry): I am sure that the right hon. Gentleman, as a fellow south-western MP, will be pleased that the Government have committed to investing about £400 million in rail infrastructure in the south-west. This includes re-signalling the main line from Totnes to Penzance; developing a strategic freight network; electrifying the Great Western main line; refurbishing the Cornwall sleeper; £35 million for the necessary repairs at Dawlish; a brand-new station at Newcourt, just outside his constituency; another station planned in his constituency at Marsh Barton; plus 29 new AT300 trains. The Government get the importance of rail investment in the south-west.
Mr Bradshaw: Of course, that electrification is into south Wales, not the south-west.
The people of the west country well remember the repeated promises from the Transport Secretary, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of billions of pounds of investment in rail in the south-west, but the Minister has just failed, once again, to confirm that the Government will commit a paltry half a million pounds for the feasibility study that Devon and Cornwall needs after the Dawlish disaster into improved resilience and rail transport times. Do not the people of the south-west rightly feel completely betrayed by the Government?
Claire Perry: Month after month, the right hon. Gentleman comes here and seems to be in complete denial about the fact that his Government did nothing for the people of the south-west and that his party wanted to cancel the vital A358 road scheme that helps people directly in his constituency. I have already set out—but I am happy to discuss it further—that I am considering ways to find the very small amount of money required to do this one technical feasibility study, which is a tiny
28 Jan 2016 : Column 409
part of the south-west peninsula taskforce study. We expect that report to come out in April and deliver the strategic uplift the region requires.
Oliver Colvile (Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) (Con): To help my hon. Friend, would she be willing to meet me and fellow colleagues in the south-west to ensure that Network Rail and the taskforce have enough funding for the two studies into the electrification of the line through the peninsula and the reduction in journey times?
Claire Perry: I am always happy to meet my hon. Friend, but let me gently remind him that Network Rail has already spent almost £3.5 million supporting the analysis of the resilience groups and the vital geological survey of the sea cliffs along the area. This work will be done, the Government will listen and this Government, unlike that lot on the Opposition Benches, will invest in the south-west.
After watching BBC news just now, wouldn't we be better off if Devon declared itself a Syrian state as more and more money seems to be found for going over there instead of aid in THIS country and including the aged and homeless who get less and less..
I would love to know the basis on which you assert that the aged get less and less money from the state, because factually you're incorrect. As for the homeless, there's plenty of assistance available for those that want to take that help (if they abide by the rules regarding booze and drugs that the people providing the help quite rightly insist on).
@Morty
1. Being a volunteer to help aged people, I know all too well about how old (and underprivileged) people are treated.
2. It sure looks like that people are bending over backwards to help and cook meals for the refugees (illegal immigrants) in Calais (production of Hamlet for example) etc when there are more than enough elderly people in our own country that would love for someone to come and cook for them and I would love to see a production of Hamlet, but I cannot afford it. I can only imagine they do it over there as it is newsworthy. If they done it in this country, no news report and no chance of getting an MBE.
3. It's funny how housing can be found for all these illegals (sorry, let's be PC, migrant workers/refugees) coming in.
4. As yet, I have never heard of an old person or someone who is homeless (drugs or not) to pick up a machine and purposly go out and slaughter innocent people.
5. I suppose that you will now spend the rest of the day scouring the internet for news stories from years ago to prove me wrong.
TTFN.
You are so right in the points that you make and I totally agree with you. Now I suppose the Plymouth MP`S etc.etc. will be looking at the gallery which Dawlish News have posted.
I would live to know who Morty Vicker is as they are so detached from the reality of this country it beggars belief!
There was a debate yesterday about the future of the GWR. Anne Marie Morris made a very good Passionate speech and you should read the debate In Hansard In Parliament. uk. These 2 studies will go ahead. And you know what they will say, don`t you?.
Carer, why do you rest your case just because the story was printed in the Daily Telegraph? The fact is that pensioners are better off - it's a fact that you might dispute because you're an argumentative so-and-so, but it's a fact nonetheless. Have a nice day.
Suggest read the comments underneath the article that MV posted.
They give alternative points of view to that given by the article.
And/or read this http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/Campaigns/end-pensioner-poverty/how_we_can_end_pensioner_poverty_campaign_report.pdf?epslanguage=en-GB?dtrk=true
If i had to manage on the state pension i would find it very hard but i am lucky i have two good pensions from the only two jobs i ever had and a disability pension from the Army and i must admit i have never been as well off but most retired are not. Most of my retired friends find it hard most of them don't smoke or drink and don't run cars and one of them comes to mine because its warm and i give him a bite to eat there are folk out there who deserve better set a extra place at the table people there is someone in your street who could do with a hot dinner. IT COSTS NOTHING MOST OF THE ELDERLY EAT VERY LITTLE plus you will feel good and they will have had company for a little while.
As an occasional poster on here, I do know that you like to get yourself worked up into a tizzy when anyone dares to present an alternative point of view that doesn't meet your narrow perspective. Granted that not many on here do other than toe the party line, which is why this forum has been so dull. Those that dare to raise their heads above the parapet get shot down by the likes of you, which is presumably why they no longer bother with here. Have a nice day.
@Morty/Mrs C
Yes, of course you know all about me being an occasional poster(LOL) like you are and you have been around so long. OK, you win, I wont bother again.
Also, Mrs C, pot calling the kettle black comes to mind as you always turn on and bully people who disagree with you.
Goodbye.
It is an interesting phenomenon that this website has got livelier since 'Mrs/Mr C has started posting again! But, it is also noteworthy that the nastiness has crept in again!
@Morty Vicker, 6/2/16, pensioners are £9 a week better off than those who are working! As a women who will not get her state pension until 66 years of age, i am currently 61 years of age, i would like you to explain how i am £9 a week better off than those who are working.under the pervious rules i would now be receiving my pension, but i'm not! over to you!
Webmaster, please sort out the grammar on this site! The above post makes me look illiterate, and, really I am not!!
The report is about pensioners being £9 a week better off than working people.
You're not a pensioner and therefore not in receipt of the associated financial benefits of being a pensioner. I believe the answer to your question lies there somewhere.