petition time again

 

New S&D member James Type has just started a petition on the government's e-petition website. Bearing in mind we have a letter from the Department of Transport broadly supporting our plans I reckon things should be much easier now than the last petition. We got over 500 signatures last time but things have really moved on since then all along the S&D and nobody now sees the idea as 'odd' or 'unattainable', quite the opposite.

 

So please spread the word with this and let's see if we can get THOUSANDS rather than just hundreds of signatures this time round. Let's show the government that the people of Somerset and Dorset aren't prepared to sit back and be way down the list when the railways are rebuilt - we need to be at the TOP!

 

Share on blogs, websites, Facebook groups etc. Write to your local paper urging people to sign up. Let's MAKE THIS HAPPEN!

helping out another vital line

 

(Ashbury, further along the route, 1960s. Copyright The Rail Thing)

The excellent Launceston Steam Railway is having problems with its local council which seems to have lost the plot big time!

The railway has been working with Cornwall County Council for some time with the intention of extending to Egloskerry - and on the strength of this purchased land in Egloskerry for the new line.

But now the council is planning to build a multi purpose route (walking, bikes, horses) which the railway fears may make it's future unviable if they can't get through to Egloskerry. Personally I don't believe anything - least of all a mere trailway - will stop the huge rail revival in the UK, but all the same it will make extension more difficult if too many users object to the railway returning, not an issue at all now but could be in the future.

To this end I think we should ALL sign the petition to CCC to get them to rethink this plan. the petition can be signed here.

more development

Back in the olden days when a lot of people thought the railways were on their way out the main line between Salisbury and Exeter was singled. This was an unmitigated disaster because the long stretches of single track without passing loops almost guaranteed delays.

Of course time's moved on, the line is now reasserting itself as a proper main line, and several stations (including our beloved Templecombe) have reopened. But it's nothing compared to what will happen in the future. Redoubling of the whole route is inevitable, as is reopening many of the closed stations, together with restored branches and of course the S&D which joins the line at Templecombe.

To help speed the process along please sign this petition which calls for the redoubling of the whole line.

stop the scrap stealers

David Bailey has asked me to highlight this e-petition that seems to have the solution to theft of copper cables from railways. PLEASE SIGN!

Cashless Scrap Metal Trade - Amendment to Scrap Metal Merchants Act 1964

Responsible department: Home Office

Due to a significant rise in value, metal has become a much sought after commodity. This increased demand has resulted in a sharp rise in metal theft nationally. Metal fencing, gates, manhole covers and other metallic items are stolen on a regular basis. Property is raided for lead, copper and cabling. War memorials and statues have been taken. Overhead power lines are stolen at serious risk to personal safety with huge costs for replacement and major inconvenience to the public. Historically the scrap metal trade has been a cash in hand industry. This creates difficulties as there is no audit trail, making identification of individuals who may be trading stolen metal or who may be committing tax or benefits fraud, a difficult proposition. An amendment to the Scrap Metal Merchants Act 1964 to prohibit cash transactions would make payment by cheque or directly into a bank account mandatory and would be a significant component in reducing metal theft.

one short ...

We now have 499 signatures on our petition.

To become number 500 sign here!

petition target - almost 500

Signatures on the petition have now reached 482! It would be nice to reach 500 before the closing date (16 April 2008). I suspect most readers of this blog have already done their duty, but if not (and you agree with the proposal!) please sign here.

2008 again

(Evercreech 1967 Jeffery Grayer)

There's still nearly four months in which to sign the S&D petition on the number 10 website. There are now 444 signatures. Let's make 2008 the year that the restoration of the S&D becomes a serious aim for local people, rail enthusiasts, the Peak Oil fraternity, Sustrans, the Transition Towns initiative, local and national government and everyone who wants the future to be better than the present! Keep watching this space!

petition in perspective

The petition is still getting signatures every day - let’s hope it actually pricks a few consciences up in Downing Street and makes them realise that we are serious about bringing back trains to the Somerset and Dorset! Add yours today!

Every day congestion increases, the price of petrol rises month on month, the climate continues to unravel (did you see the storm in Bristol last night?!) and railways go up and up the agenda. We need to stake our claim now, not wait another five or ten years. The S&D has been stupidly closed for 41 years now, do we really want to wait another 41 before it’s fully reopened?

Shillingstone

Just visited the Shillingstone website which is coming on in leaps and bounds - and they've done a link to the petition! Another excellent feature is their forum (ignore the pop-ups, they soon calm down!) which is well worth a visit.

It's great to see that they are coming on so quickly - the station is a delight even if it is set in the middle of an industrial estate, and their first piece of motive power is arriving soon. Try to visit when you can.

petition progress

(Midsomer Norton, 1 June 2007)

Our petition is still going strong, after 6 weeks we now have 221 signatures. If you haven't signed yet please do so now! What we want to do is to get this to the top of the 'transport' section of the No 10 site - which will need tens of thousands of votes and send a message to the government that we're not prepared to still suffer from transport 'decisions' that were decided in another - oil-rich - age, and that we want our trains back sooner rather than later. Expect a really big press push soon, initially locally but later nationally and even internationally!

networking

What better than on a wet day browsing the web for all those S&D-related sites?

As well as our blog we've got a superb website, a myspace, a bebo, message board and also a petition to sign. Then there are all those other S&D sites out there ...

a couple of centuries

I don't know - a couple of days away and when I come back we've passed two big hundred landmarks! Over 100 people have now signed the petition and we're now averaging over 100 hits a day on this blogsite! Thank you all for your support in both endeavours.

petition progress

Well we've certainly started something with the petition! Even before I'd had a chance to refresh the page at the start there were 5 signatures! Now, just 3 days in, we have 77 signatures. Once we have 250 the government have to reply - and with 362 days left we should quickly break through that particular glass ceiling.

Wording is - The Somerset and Dorset Railway was, and will be again after Peak Oil, a vital sustainable transport link across Wessex. The government should release funds and simplify the planning and construction process to allow local people to build, own and operate the line in preparation for when our oil runs out.

To sign up simply click here - and tell your friends!

petition to reopen the S&D

Please add your name to the petition currently lodged at 10 Downing Street to release money to rebuild the S&D. You can sign it here.