Great Western Coffee Shop

The Liberal Democrats have set out plans to reopen thousands of miles of railway tracks and stations.

The scheme would be funded by cutting capital spending on roads by ^3bn.

[The Green New Deal commits investment to a major expansion of public transport. We will:

^ Double the size of the bus fleet through an investment of ^3 billion to buy 30,000 new buses and create 70,000 jobs.
^ Provide a further ^2 billion to subsidise bus fares and get new services operational.
^ Bring the railway system back into public ownership and spend ^2 billion on new track and rolling stock, and on urban tram schemes - together creating 20,000 jobs.
^ Reduce UK rail fares by one third to bring them in line with the European average through a ^3 billion subsidy./quote]

Wonder where the 10 billion is coming from.. oh heres where


 ;D

and for proper policies http://www.loonyparty.com/index.php?page=manifestoproposals-1 (http://www.loonyparty.com/index.php?page=manifestoproposals-1)

A bit of cloud coco land electioneering, its not always opening of long closed lines that's needed but completely new routes (I am not just talking HS routes) reopening of stations may work in some places but why not stations in completely new locations.

Road developments do need to go ahead as well.

Ok, it may not be the most fashionable thing to say ...

[I have been known to shock people in these parts by suggesting that a road be built in two or three specific places.

PM to announce 6 May general election

Gordon Brown will announce on Tuesday morning that the general election will, as expected, be held on 6 May, BBC political editor Nick Robinson says.
The prime minister will go to Buckingham Palace to ask the Queen to dissolve Parliament.
On returning from the Palace he will formally confirm the date and make a speech in Downing Street in which he will dub the election "the big choice".
The economy, taxation and public services will be key battlegrounds.
The campaign will also feature, for the first time, live television debates between the three main party leaders.
It will be the first time that Mr Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg have faced a general election.

.........like around Westbury ??  ;D

David Cameron kicks off Tory General Election campaign in Birmingham

Mr Cameron was in Birmingham for about an hour before being whisked away to catch a train to Leeds.

And he promised that the proposed high speed rail link between Birmingham and London would remain a priority under Tory rule.

^We are very committed to high speed rail,^ he vowed. ^We put high speed rail back on the map a few years ago when the Government was condemning it.

^We want to make it work. It^s a very exciting prospect for Birmingham but also for Manchester and Leeds as well.^

Brown left grounded as David Cameron gets off to a flying start

David Cameron^s campaign will exploit ^air superiority^ over Gordon Brown, as the Tories use their cash advantage to leave Labour grounded.
The Conservative leader travelled back to London by private plane after the first day of the election campaign last night and is expected to take to the air again today.
Aides say he will aim to visit at least two regions a day at the height of a campaign that targets seats across Britain. But while Mr Cameron^s packed itinerary requires frequent air travel, Mr Brown will fly on only a handful of occasions, according to the Labour leader^s spokesman. He will use a train instead most of the time, as he did yesterday.
With Labour compelled to make a virtue out of the necessity imposed by their relative poverty, the Conservatives said the party had not leased a single aircraft but had booked a number of different ones.
The Tories are aware that the gulf between the parties in terms of spending power could be turned against them, as the leaders battle to identify themselves with ordinary voters.
The Conservatives raised more than ^32 million last year and would have little difficulty in spending up to the maximum allowed of ^18.96 million, plus ^350,000 for Northern Ireland.
By contrast, Labour sources said the party was now halfway through a total war chest of only ^8 million. The party raised about ^16 million last year, mostly from the trade unions, but there is no prospect of further significant funding, sources said. Ministers have been told that they must travel to campaign events on economy fares unless there is a pressing reason, such as the need for police protection, that prevents them from doing so.
It has also been decided that the party^s manifesto will be printed on cheap, recycled paper. ^m sure the document will look professional but it certainly won^t be a glossy production,^ said an official close to the process.

How ironic. After jumping through all the hoops to arrange overseas proxy voting, I'll actually be in the country on 6 May. Although probably not in the relevant parliamentary constituency, I admit.

Can anyone provide a link to the Lib Dems press release regarding the re-openings policy? Cheers ???

Labour wants to force rail firms to offer cheapest fare

Labour is going to include in its manifesto a commitment to force rail companies to offer passengers the cheapest fare, the BBC has learnt.
Rail passenger numbers are at the highest level since World War II, but consumers often complain that tickets are mis-sold.
The Tories say they would revamp the rail franchising system to give a better service.
The Lib Dems have pledged that fares would rise by less than inflation.
Labour says that if it wins the election it will give passengers an enforceable right to the cheapest fare, the BBC understands.
Consumers would be able to get a refund if they were mis-sold a ticket, with disputes going to the regulator.
When the consumer group Which? investigated rail fares, it found that the cheapest ticket was offered on fewer than half of occasions.
Researchers were not told about cheaper train firms, off-peak fares or season ticket savings.
However, the train companies said that mystery shopper investigations see the right ticket sold 99% of the time.

It seems that even David Cameron prefers to fly to Plymouth rather than use the train or drive.
"The Conservative Party leader flew into the city on Day Three of the General Election campaign."
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/City-key-Britain-s-defence-8211-Cameron/article-1992320-detail/article.html

I'm sure I read somewhere that DC was using a private jet, although I can't remember where and can't find the source online at the moment so I could be mistaken. May well not have been Air South West.

I'm sure I read somewhere that DC was using a private jet, although I can't remember where and can't find the source online at the moment so I could be mistaken. May well not have been Air South West.

At-a-glance: Labour election manifesto
...
Commitment to high-speed rail linking London, Birmingham, the East Midlands, Manchester, northern England and Scotland
...

At-a-glance: Conservative manifesto
...
Immediate start to high-speed rail line linking London, Heathrow Airport, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds
Block plans for third Heathrow runway and second runways at Gatwick and Stansted
...

Train Companies respond to Conservative manifesto pledges on rail

In response to the Conservative manifesto pledges on rail, a spokesperson for the Association of Train Operating Companies said:

^The Conservatives^ pledge to grant longer and more flexible franchises will be welcomed by train companies and would be good for passengers and taxpayers. Train companies have been calling for focused reform to allow them to address issues such as overcrowding and station improvements more quickly and effectively and to attract more private sector investment to the railways.

^Train companies support the commitment to make Network Rail more accountable to its customers and believe that ensuring this happens should remain the core role of the rail regulator.

^The pledge that the Conservatives have made on high speed and their support for Crossrail, electrification of the Great Western line and reopening old lines represent a vote of confidence in the railways. It is important that these projects are part of a programme of wider investment as demand for rail travel is expected to double in the next 30 years.^

UKIP believes the British people have a right to a reliable public and private transport system at an acceptable cost. UKIP will invest in a transport network that meets the needs of the British people and Britain^s economy. UKIP will:

    * Invest an extra ^3 billion p.a. in the UK^s transport infrastructure, using money made available by leaving the EU and saving the ^6.4 billion net Britain pays every year in EU membership contributions
    * Invest in an enhanced and safer road network, building new bypasses and widening major roads
    * Offer a ^Windfall Return^ on fuel duty above a set world dollar oil price. When this level is reached, government receipts from oil duties will be returned to motorists as fuel tax cuts
    * Be fair to motorists by subjecting parking charges and revenue-raising devices, including speed cameras, to greater democratic control
    * Repeal EU-generated road directives that
    * impose unnecessary and expensive burdens, such as the new Road Transport Directive
    * Introduce a ^Britdisc^ which foreign lorries will have to pay for using major British roads.
    * Currently, many of these lorries pay nothing for the wear and tear they cause
    * Veto EU attempts to force the UK into accepting EU lorries that are a third longer and a third heavier than currently allowed - up to an unacceptable 60 tonnes
    * Invest in three new 200mph plus high-speed rail lines including a new line between London and Newcastle with a spur to Manchester, a London-Bristol-Exeter line and a linking route via Birmingham
    * Expand the rail network by re-opening rail lines where there is a proven need
    * Improve passenger rail franchises by demanding higher standards of customer satisfaction, and by extending standard franchise terms to up to 20 years to encourage greater investment and stability
    * Encourage a major transfer of freight away from road and onto rail and canal
    * Invest in better rail and road links to ports
    * Oppose a sixth Heathrow Airport terminal and third runway and the expansion of Gatwick and Stansted in favour of a major new Hong Kong-style Thames Estuary airport with motorway connections and a high-speed rail service to London, the UK and the Continent

This of course provided as a special Eye service to the three of you who intend voting for them.

Encourage a major transfer of freight away from road and onto rail and canal

At-a-glance: Lib Dem general election 2010 manifesto
...
Cancel plans for a third runway at Heathrow and other airport expansion in south-east England. Tighter regulation on vehicle exhausts. End "hidden" charges in airline pricing
^140m bus scrappage scheme to help firms replace polluting vehicles. Reopen regional rail lines, paid for by cutting roads budget [England only]
Cut rail fares, force train operators to ensure regulated fares fall behind inflation by 1% per year. Make Network Rail refund a third of ticket price if replacement buses used
...

Newsnight takes the Tory manifesto on the train

The Tories launched their election manifesto on Tuesday with the emphasis on "big society" rather than big government.

Newsnight's Michael Crick took the manifesto to Keighley to see how voters reacted to some of the key pledges.

Broadcast on Tuesday 13 April 2010.

The rail policies are vague and not solid enough - i.e. typical Liberal Democrat.

Might the mods perhaps consider hiving off the stuff about US flights into 'other ways...' not sure it will be a hot election topic.

Crossrail 'could be scrapped', admits Tory spokeswoman

Shadow minister Justine Greening says Conservatives support Crossrail in principle but cannot guarantee the future of the cross-London rail link.

Labour today accused the Conservatives of breaking a manifesto pledge only two days after launching their election proposals after a shadow minister admitted that a key rail project could be scrapped under a Tory government on the grounds of cost.

The Labour party seized on the comments made by Justine Greening, the shadow London minister, who told London's LBC radio that she "cannot guarantee" that the building of the ^16bn Crossrail scheme ^ an east-to-west rail link across the capital ^ would continue under the Conservatives.

Her comments appear to contradict a commitment outlined in the Conservative manifesto, published earlier this week, which says: "We support Crossrail and the electrification of the Great Western line to south Wales."

Greening told LBC earlier today that she was unable to give "a line-by-line budget on projects across government, including Crossrail. Everything's up for review but we think it's important," she said.

Pressed on whether this meant that a Tory government would allow the Crossrail development to continue, Greening replied: "I can't give a guarantee that it will continue."

Asked if this meant it could be scrapped altogether, Greening said: "It's possible, but at the end of the day we've always said that we think it's an important project and actually the reason this is important is we want to be responsible, so we can't pretend that we can write an entire budget outside of government. We've said we'll do one within 50 days of getting into government if we get elected and we will then provide some clarity and certainty."

Greening's comments are likely to alarm Boris Johnson, the Tory mayor of London, who has repeatedly hailed Crossrail as a scheme which will create thousands of jobs and boost the capital's economy.

Lord Adonis, the transport secretary, accused the Conservatives of "weasel words".

"The Tories' supposed commitment to Crossrail lasted just two days. Now Justine Greening has exposed the weasel words in the Tory manifesto for what they are," he said.

"This sends an alarming message to business in and around the capital, to Londoners, and also calls into question the extent of their commitment to all other infrastructure projects, including high-speed rail."

Johnson stood shoulder to shoulder with Adonis and Gordon Brown last year to mark the formal start of the construction the major railway project.

At the time, he said: "The years of hesitation, irresolution and vacillation are over, the shovels have tasted earth and the construction of a railway that is crucial to the economic prosperity of this great city has begun.

"This amazing project will create and support thousands of jobs, relieve congestion and provide a high-speed link between east and west of London. When the first of Crossrail's chariots glide smoothly along its lines in 2017 it will change the face of transport in London and the south east forever."

Kulveer Ranger, Johnson's transport adviser, said today: "The mayor's passion and support for Crossrail is unquenched and his view is it is not a want but a must for the capital. Every inch of London will benefit from the jobs, increase in capacity and easing of congestion that Crossrail will bring."

The Conservative party, which has been keen to call attention to Johnson's administration during the election campaign, insisted its position on Crossrail was "very clear".

A spokeswoman said Crossrail would be part of a Tory government's spending review alongside everything apart from health and international development, whose funding has been ring-fenced.

"Our position is consistent and claims to the contrary are disingenuous," she said.

The party issued a quote David Cameron made last November, in which he said: "I back Crossrail. I want Crossrail to go ahead. Obviously everything has to pass the value-for-money test and all the rest, but we want it to go ahead."

The Tories are a mess.

Anyway time to switch on ITV1, see where my vote will be going perhaps.

I'd really like to think nobody with a modicum of political intelligence would be placing their precious vote, which potentially makes a real difference to who represents YOU at a local level, entirely on which party leader happens to be the most "impressive" in an artificially staged event in front of a selected TV audience! Remember, you didn't vote for the party leader (and in some cases, neither did anyone else...). We're not - yet - voting for a President.

At-a-glance: BNP general election manifesto
...
Reverse privatisation of railways, invest in 200mph magnetic levitation inter-city rail network
...

At-a-glance: BNP general election manifesto
...
Reverse privatisation of railways, invest in 200mph magnetic levitation inter-city rail network
...

David Cameron urged to include Sheffield in rail plan

A student has called on David Cameron to include Sheffield under plans for a high-speed rail network.
The government announced plans in March to build a ^17bn route between London and Birmingham with a future extension to north England and Scotland.
After being questioned by Patrick Gannon, David Cameron said he would look at a station stop in Sheffield.
Labour said it was committed to putting a stop in Sheffield. A Liberal Democrat spokesman was unavailable for comment.
Addressing Mr Cameron, first-time voter Mr Gannon said: "The Liberal Democrat and Labour plans both propose a high-speed rail route with a station that will stop at Sheffield fitting it into the whole network. But as far as I'm aware, the Conservatives do not plan to put a station at Sheffield. Why is it viewed that England's fourth largest city should be by-passed by this magnificent scheme?"
Mr Cameron said under Labour's plans, there was no guarantee that the new rail line would extend further than Birmingham. "They've talked about taking it to Scotland, Sheffield and everywhere else - the only people that have actually got a proper plan for a high-speed rail [network] that goes London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds are the Conservatives. We've actually set out how we'd do it, how we'd pay for it and when it would happen."
The exchange came during a question and answer session with viewers of BBC Look North.
The Conservative leader told Mr Gannon that he would look at a stop in Sheffield, adding: "Once you've got the plan, once you've got the route set out you can look at how many stations you have."
A Labour statement said: "Labour have absolutely committed, both in the statement made to the House of Commons and in our election manifesto to build a high-speed line to both West and South Yorkshire."

David Cameron high-speed rail link U-turn criticised

David Cameron has been accused of "making up policy on the run" after agreeing to consider including Sheffield in a high-speed rail network.
Conservative proposals for a high-speed route currently exclude the city.
But during an exchange with viewers of BBC Look North Mr Cameron said he would look at putting a stop in Sheffield.
Labour said the U-turn raised more questions than answers. The Tories said their vision for a wider high-speed rail network could include many cities.
The government announced plans in March to build a ^17bn route between London and Birmingham with a future extension to north England and Scotland.
While launching the Liberal Democrats' manifesto for Yorkshire earlier this month, leader Nick Clegg outlined plans for high-speed rail links to the Channel Tunnel from Leeds, Sheffield and York.
Mr Cameron made his comments after being addressed by first-time voter Patrick Gannon. He told Mr Gannon that he would look at a stop in Sheffield, adding: "Once you've got the plan, once you've got the route set out you can look at how many stations you have."
Andrew Adonis, Labour's transport secretary, said: "Labour have absolutely committed to build a high-speed line to both West and South Yorkshire, both in the statement made in the House of Commons on high speed rail and in our election manifesto. David Cameron is making up Tory policy on a major infrastructure project on the run. This u-turn on high speed rail raises more questions than it answers. Are they planning to add Sheffield as a further spur from Leeds or are they now adopting our route from Birmingham which they have previously attacked?"
A Conservative spokesman said the party had "led the debate on high-speed rail". He added: "None of the other parties were talking about it until we announced our plans and Labour's commitment currently only extends to Birmingham. David Cameron stated during the interview that our route, which is fully-costed and timetabled, will go from London to Leeds, stopping at Birmingham and Manchester. We have also set out our vision for a wider high speed rail network which could include many other cities and, of course, we would listen to many views in planning that vision."
A Liberal Democrats spokesman said the party was "fully committed to high-speed rail for the full length of the country". He added: "We're broadly supportive of the proposed route which goes through Sheffield, but there should be a full public consultation on the exact route and proper mitigation should be considered."