Sunday, November 22, 2009

East of England news outlet the ECHO echoes Khoodeelaar! Evidential diagnosis of Crossrail imprudence

0540 GMT
London
Monday
23 November 2009

"
This new campaign has the right ideas. I have argued for some time that the transport needs of regions were much more important than the obsessively promoted 'case' for Crossrail. Those who claim that Crossrail is more important than the unmet transport needs of East of England or those of other regions miss the very important point: that economic activities must go on in all parts. And struggling transport in regions means struggling economic activities or not much at all. Not just in London. And even in London, there is increasing evidence that ordinary people never asked for Crossrail. Something very secretive is going on about Crossrail. Only this past week, people in Richmond have again complained about Boris Johnson imposing a Crossrail tax. And in Soho, small businesses are being wiped out to make way for Crossrail. Neither Parliament nor the people have seen any evidence that this is a wise way. As the Lib Dems MP Norman Baker has discovered, the secretive and very strange forces for Crossrail are saying that the British public must pay for it or we would have already wasted over £1bn spent on preparations. Don't they realise that Crossrail will add to business taxes and other liabilities to be paid over 30 years or more? By that time, the wasted sum will exceed £30Bn, not just £1bn. Pumping public money into a wasting Crossrail is not at all Prudent!




Campaign to boost rail services
12:20pm Sunday 22nd November 2009
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A CAMPAIGN has been set up to increase investment in the railways across Essex.

Regional Cities East, a pressure group which includes Southend and Colchester, is pressing for improvements to the infrastructure across the region, rather than just spending money on major improvements such as Crossrail.

Director of Regional Cities East, Neil Darwin, said: “Smaller cities will be vital to the country’s recovery from recession, but only if the right type of rail capacity is in place to serve them.”

John Lamb, Southend councillor in charge of regeneration, said he supported the plans.

He added: “If we are to become greener, we need to encourage people to leave their cars behind and use public services, and unless the facilities are improved, this won’t happen.”

Over the coming months, the campaign will hold a parliamentary seminar discussing the infrastructure needs of smaller cities, and a Westminster event, where ministers will answer questions on transport policy.

The aims are to improve journey times, increase carriage capacity, secure more investment in track infrastructure and improve stations and trains.

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YOUR SAY YourEcho
eastlondoner, London says...
5:19am Mon 23 Nov 09

This new campaign has the right ideas. I have argued for some time that the transport needs of regions were much more important than the obsessively promoted 'case' for Crossrail. Those who claim that Crossrail is more important than the unmet transport needs of East of England or those of other regions miss the very important point: that economic activities must go on in all parts. And struggling transport in regions means struggling economic activities or not much at all. Not just in London. And even in London, there is increasing evidence that ordinary people never asked for Crossrail. Something very secretive is going on about Crossrail. Only this past week, people in Richmond have again complained about Boris Johnson imposing a Crossrail tax. And in Soho, small businesses are being wiped out to make way for Crossrail. Neither Parliament nor the people have seen any evidence that this is a wise way. As the Lib Dems MP Norman Baker has discovered, the secretive and very strange forces for Crossrail are saying that the British public must pay for it or we would have already wasted over £1bn spent on preparations. Don't they realise that Crossrail will add to business taxes and other liabilities to be paid over 30 years or more? By that time, the wasted sum will exceed £30Bn, not just £1bn. Pumping public money into a wasting Crossrail is not at all Prudent!

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eastlondoner, London says...
5:19am Mon 23 Nov 09

This new campaign has the right ideas. I have argued for some time that the transport needs of regions were much more important than the obsessively promoted 'case' for Crossrail. Those who claim that Crossrail is more important than the unmet transport needs of East of England or those of other regions miss the very important point: that economic activities must go on in all parts. And struggling transport in regions means struggling economic activities or not much at all. Not just in London. And even in London, there is increasing evidence that ordinary people never asked for Crossrail. Something very secretive is going on about Crossrail. Only this past week, people in Richmond have again complained about Boris Johnson imposing a Crossrail tax. And in Soho, small businesses are being wiped out to make way for Crossrail. Neither Parliament nor the people have seen any evidence that this is a wise way. As the Lib Dems MP Norman Baker has discovered, the secretive and very strange forces for Crossrail are saying that the British public must pay for it or we would have already wasted over £1bn spent on preparations. Don't they realise that Crossrail will add to business taxes and other liabilities to be paid over 30 years or more? By that time, the wasted sum will exceed £30Bn, not just £1bn. Pumping public money into a wasting Crossrail is not at all Prudent!

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