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
On 24th May 2024, the government announced the 50 stations set to benefit from the £350 million of funding for step-free access as part of the funding settlement for Control Period 7 (2024-2029). You can find the full list here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/railway-stations-awarded-access-for-all-accessibility-funding/railway-stations-awarded-access-for-all-accessibility-funding *South Croydon makes an appearance in this list, even though it was actually awarded … Continue reading Access for All – nominated stations
After standing as a Labour candidate in the last two General Elections, when you are offered a candidacy in one of the safest Tory seats in the UK, it dawns on you rather quickly that your face just doesn’t fit and it is time to move on. So, after politely declining the opportunity to stand … Continue reading Down, but not out
As a campaigner for rail accessibility, a train driver and a proud member of the ASLEF union, I am delighted that yesterday ASLEF adopted the motion which I wrote for debate at ASLEF's Annual Assembly of Delegates (AAD), which means that supporting improved rail accessibility on the UK rail network is now official ASLEF policy. … Continue reading ASLEF union backs UK rail accessibility!
Biggleswade station, located on the East Coast Mainline in Bedfordshire, and a growing commuter town, was awarded 'Access for All' funding in April 2019. Since then the project, now on its fifth Network Rail project lead, has faced several delays and we have moved from a completion date of Summer 2022, to a provisional date … Continue reading Lifts at Biggleswade delayed until Summer 2025
There is much to unpack from yesterday's House of Commons Public Accounts Committee hearing discussing UK rail reform. The Committee heard from the top brass in Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT) about their plans to transform the governance of the UK railways, primarily through the Great British Railways transformation team - although … Continue reading Actions not words needed on rail accessibility
A common theme running through tragedies such as Horizon, Grenfell and Hillsborough is the nauseating confidence and casual indifference shown by those responsible. So from where does this confidence originate? I believe it is a confidence emboldened by several factors: 1: Unequal access to the law - those with the deepest pockets win, and the … Continue reading Fixing the system
Hillsborough, Grenfell, Horizon, Windrush, Orgreave, Daniel Morgan Murder, Shrewsbury 24, Undercover Policing, Contaminated Blood Scandal, Phone Hacking, Blacklisting. The list of miscarriages of justice and the abuse of power in the UK is a lengthy one. The victims may not be connected, but this blog will set out the common threads linking these scandals. I … Continue reading From Hillsborough to the Post Office Scandal
Julian Vaughan 