Cable Theft at Newport- severe delays South Wales (6/2/2011)

[whole diary]

[Glovidge]

Typical these things happen on a Sunday night. Currently in Gloucester when I should be in bed in Windsor... Still at least we beat the Jacks. Do the ayatollah carriage C

[Timmer]

This continuing this morning.

From FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Website:

Monday 7th February 2011 07:00

Train Services in the Newport area are being disrupted due to vandalism between Severn Tunnel Junction and Newport.

London Paddington to South Wales and Bristol Temple Meads to Cardiff Central Services, in both directions, are subject to short notice alterations, cancellations and delays of up to 20 minutes. Engineers are working as fast as possible to restore services to normal.

All services from London Paddington to Cardiff Central at 15 minutes past each hour from 07:15 and all services from Cardiff Central to London Paddington at 55 minutes past each hour from 09:55 are cancelled.

Direct services between Cardiff Central and Taunton will start and terminate at Bristol Parkway.

Customers with advance purchase tickets may travel on either the preceding or the next available service.

I Read in the paper over the weekend that they are expecting cable theft to increase as copper prices are at an all time high at the moment.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Update, from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) live updates:

Line problem between Newport South Wales and Bristol Parkway.

Train services have been disrupted due to earlier vandalism between Newport South Wales and Bristol Parkway. Engineers have worked as fast as possible to restore services to normal. Short notice alterations and delays of up to 30 minutes may still occur.
Last Updated: 07/02/2011 12:27

Line problem between Newport South Wales and Bristol Temple Meads.

Train services have been disrupted due to earlier vandalism between Newport South Wales and Bristol Temple Meads. Engineers have worked as fast as possible to restore services to normal. Short notice alterations and delays of up to 30 minutes may still occur.
Last Updated: 07/02/2011 12:26

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Newport cable thefts delay rail services

Cable thieves delayed and disrupted rail services in south Wales after two separate attacks at the weekend, say transport police.

Signalling cable at Newport's Maindee depot was damaged on Saturday while on Sunday 110m of cable was taken at the east Usk junction.

Rush-hour commuters on Monday complained of delays of up to 45 minutes.

Network Rail has offered up to ^1,000 for information about the thefts.

Mark Langman, route director for Network Rail, said: "Network Rail is offering up to ^1,000 for information which leads to an arrest and conviction. We are doing all we can to stop these thefts but we need the support of the community to be our eyes and ears on the ground. I am appealing directly to anyone with information regarding the people who committed this mindless act to come forward.

"The thoughtless and dangerous actions of these individuals has resulted in massive disruption for thousands of passengers travelling between England and Wales and taken the time of limited railway resources that are normally employed elsewhere improving the railway."

Network Rail said that 22 rail services between south Wales and London had been cancelled, 49 part-cancelled and 216 trains delayed as a result of the damage at the weekend.

British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) said the thefts were risking lives and that the incidents had cost the rail industry around ^250,000.

Detective Inspector Mark Cleland said: "We are treating these incidents as criminal damage with intent to endanger safety on the railways, an offence which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Those stealing cable are not only risking a court appearance, they're risking their lives. Because offenders can only access the cable by going right up to the tracks, there is a real risk they could be struck by a passing train or electrocuted, as some of the cables carry large amounts of electrical current."

The cable taken at east Usk junction was later recovered by officers nearby.

BTP said around a quarter of all cable-related crimes on the railways in south Wales are carried out in the Newport area.

[tramway]

Which screwed up my meeting today in Portsmouth.

[tramway]

Sorry, really should look at other subject areas first shouldn't I. 

Newport cable thefts delay rail services

Network Rail said that 22 rail services between south Wales and London had been cancelled, 49 part-cancelled and 216 trains delayed as a result of the damage at the weekend.

British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) said the thefts were risking lives and that the incidents had cost the rail industry around ^250,000.

Detective Inspector Mark Cleland said: "We are treating these incidents as criminal damage with intent to endanger safety on the railways, an offence which will carry a carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Those stealing cable are not only risking a court appearance, they're risking their lives as offenders will get murdered by the passengers when they get hold of them."

The cable taken at east Usk junction was later recovered by officers nearby.

BTP said around a quarter of all cable-related crimes on the railways in south Wales are carried out in the Newport area.

[Glovidge]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-12711073

Book em Danno

[JayMac]

Bailed until September pending further enquiries?!!! I know justice can be slow, but 6 months for the Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydeinig to investigate further seems a bit much.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Six vehicles, four quad bikes and firearms were also seized from the addresses.

[willc]

Bailed until September pending further enquiries?!!! I know justice can be slow, but 6 months for the Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydeinig to investigate further seems a bit much.

Maybe you ought to read the full press release on the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) site before rushing to judgment. On top of the cables, firearms, etc, there is also a question of fuel fraud. It is obviously a very complicated case, involving a lot of people and a lot of suspected offences and requring a lot of investigating by BTP, Gwent Police and Revenue & Customs, so bailing those arrested for several months is not surprising.

http://www.btp.presscentre.com/Media-Releases/15-ARRESTS-AS-BRITISH-TRANSPORT-POLICE-INVESTIGATION-INTO-CABLE-THEFTS-CONTINUES-NEWPORT-13b6.aspx

[JayMac]

Expressing an opinion, not rushing to judgement.

A lot of suspected offences, including conspiracy and firearms would say to me: Remand.

That's another opinion, by the way.