Off to take the Cubs camping soon. I can guarantee one thing, it’s going to be cold!
London
People try to charge on a Tube train before people have got off, look really upset if someone has to sit by them and are generally only concerned about themselves. No one else matters really!
One thing that made me want to laugh and scream at the same time was when I took my uncle and aunt to the railway station (that's RAILWAY and NOT TRAIN station!), I was turning round to come back on myself at a roundabout, with indicators flashing and got hooted by some smug git in an Jaguar! Now I had right of way, was doing the right things, but his inconvenience was my fault!
London is a nice place to visit, but it's nice to be home.
Etruria Again 2
I Hate Computers!
Which is a bit silly really as they’re my job!
GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!
89001
Helpers 3
For some reason (not complaining though), the Senticomic published my press release about us needing leaders for the Scout Group again. They did manage to mangle it again!
Total number of phone calls ZERO, none, nothing! So thanks people of North Staffordshire, that confirms what I've thought for a while, no-one cares about anything but themselves!
Blackpool
Etruria again
Dear Paul Farrelly,
It is a year tomorrow that Mr. Derek Twigg in his then job as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport closed Etruria railway station. This was despite the fact that the public inquiry's report stated that it be kept open and was contrary to local opinion and needs. The given reason was that the track was to be aligned to 'increase speeds for through trains and so deliver shorter journey times benefiting passengers'.
Since the hasty closure, the track has not been aligned and the only thing to happen to the station was the removal of the station furniture in June. In fact I am sure that Virgin Trains passengers were glad that the station was there a few months ago when a train failed in the station and the passengers were able to easily leave the train!All this highlights the Department for Transports lack of interest in the railways and public transport in general in North Staffordshire. The current consultancy document on the future of the rail franchises in this area states that a local service from Stoke to Stafford will not be restarted until 2009!
An example of how stupid things have become is if I want to travel by train to Manchester. This should be the easiest, quickest and most environmentally sensible way to get there. I could walk to the bus stop in May Bank, catch a bus to Longport (making the assumption that Etruria is now totally out of the question) and then catch a train to Manchester. I could the make exactly the same return journey.
Except I can't. There are two trains from Longport to Manchester in the morning at 06.50 and 07.20 and one returning at night at 17.58. Not exactly helpful or convenient.
Instead I have to got to Stoke to catch a train. Stoke is in the opposite direction to where I would be going, it is also time consuming to get there on public transport (bus to Newcastle or Hanley and then on to Stoke), takes a long time to drive there (whether the improvements to the A500 make a difference remain to be seen) and there is nowhere to park unless you want to pay £5 to park on Virgin's car park. The other options are to get someone to take you there and back, which adds to the congestion and pollution or get a taxi which is expensive. All to make a journey which should be relativity easy!I hope you will be able the speak to Mr. Tom Harris, Mr. Twigg's successor, to find out what, if anything the DfT are planning to do about this disgraceful situation in the immediate future. As you know, Newcastle and North Staffordshire is slowly grinding to a halt and no-one in Government seems interested!
Yours sincerely,
Broadband
Grrrrrrr!
Politics
I've been thinking how it would be interesting to become a Councillor on our Borough Council.
The only problem is that I don't want to become involved in Party Politics. There seems to be too much squabbling going on and a lack of cooperation between the Councillors because they are in one party or another – Labour seem particularly bad at this at the moment!
Helpers 2
Well after getting a press release in our local paper (although they did mangle it slightly), someone has got in touch. Just hope he works out!
Helpers
Utilities
Not a good morning
11th September
From my point of view, the attacks in America five years ago are worth remembering, but it is not as important, to me at least, as the fact that it's my second wedding anniversary!