The settlement by the owners of 'The Sun' to avoid their grubby practices being picked through in court calls into question the truthfulness of evidence given under oath by their senior executives, many of whom are still in positions of power today. The need for a Leveson 2 Inquiry has never been clearer. The print … Continue reading The case for ‘Leveson 2’ is stronger than ever
Despite many promises over the years, drivers and cyclists in the Central Bedfordshire area will be fully aware of the continuing very poor condition of our roads. Road markings seem to be regarded as an optional extra from a bygone age, and when road defects are reported by the public, via the potentially brilliant but … Continue reading (Pot)holes in the CBC Budget?
In what is the 16th update I have posted regarding the provision of step-free access at Biggleswade railway station, I'm cautiously optimistic that at long last the town will have a station accessible to all, perhaps by the end of this year. In my last update, posted on 25th November, I mentioned there were two … Continue reading Biggleswade Lifts Update – 14.01.25.
This afternoon we met with Network Rail to discuss the latest news on the scheme to install lifts at Biggleswade station. This project, awarded funding in 2019, has been subject to many frustrating delays, with costs escalating and the completion date slipping ever backward. My last update on 7th September was unable to provide any … Continue reading Biggleswade Lifts Update – 25.11.24
As Chair of the 'Bedfordshire Rail Access Network', I was recently contacted by Network Rail as part of a public consultation into replacing the (inaccessible) station footbridge at Harlington station in Bedfordshire. Harlington station has four platforms, only two of these are scheduled for use by passenger trains and both of these are inaccessible due … Continue reading Step-free and ‘Appendix B’
This is a blog covering the status of the UK railway stations provided with 'Access for All' (AfA) funding to provide step-free access. The 'Access for All' funding programme aims to provide an accessible route onto and between railway station platforms and was launched in 2006. Since its launch, step-free routes have been provided at … Continue reading UK railways ‘Access for All’ audit
It was great to hear Keir Starmer talk about rail accessibility being a 'basic requirement' following the dreadful experience Tanni Grey-Thompson suffered on an LNER train earlier this week. He was also correct in pointing out that many other people, without Tanni's profile and reach, would have had similar experiences across the UK rail network. … Continue reading Starmer, Rail Accessibility, and Tanni GT
In 2015, Sir Peter Hendy, now Lord Hendy and currently Minister of State for Rail, was appointed as Chair of Network Rail and tasked to conduct a review of the enhancement programme for Control Period 5, which ran from 2014-2019. From the resulting 'Hendy Report' this programme was "prioritised to reflect the government's commitments to … Continue reading A decade of step-free delay
Farage talks about “something going wrong in our once beautiful country”. Yes, something is going wrong with this country, it is grifters like him, aided and abetted by the hard right media, who for years have sown the seeds of hate and division for personal and political gain. However, it is vital that ALL politicians … Continue reading Taking on the far right
Today, Wednesday 24th July, we met once again with Network Rail and local stakeholders including local Councillors and local MP, Richard Fuller. You can read my previous update from our last meeting in May, which announced a further delay here: https://julianvaughan.blog/2024/05/09/lifts-at-biggleswade-delayed-until-summer-2025/ At the last meeting, we were told that a new quote from the contractor … Continue reading ‘Access for All’ Biggleswade – July 2024 Update
Julian Vaughan 