Norman Baker

[kevo]

What an outstanding hypocrite he is, even by the usual standards of most politicians.

As a Minister for Transport, how can he back the (unneeded) high-speed link between London and Birmingham, which will cut through large unspoilt areas of the Chilterns, whilst being so adamantly opposed to constructing a small new, throughly rational and needed, rail link in his own constituency?

His arguement for the new London-Brum link is that the coalition want to promote green and sustainable transport and give a boost to the economy, even if it means destroying a large area of countryside, but the same arguments apparently do not apply to BML2.

His oppostion to the Amex showed what a pathetic NIMBY he is - and this just proves it.

Transport Minister condemns new railway through his constituency

 

[Daffy Duck]

He's always been a knob of the highest order (we had experience of that), and he always will be.

Added to that, the bloke has the most irritating voice ever.

 

[carlzeiss]

Norman Baker = Total w*****

 

[Titus]

whilst being so adamantly opposed to constructing a small new, throughly rational and needed, rail link in his own constituency?

Where's this then?

 

[kevo]

Where's this then?

The Lewes-Uckfield link that was closed in the 60s, and would create BML2, an alternative London to Brighton route - which would also of course serve Falmer.

 

[Storer 68]

The Lewes-Uckfield link that was closed in the 60s, and would create BML2, an alternative London to Brighton route - which would also of course serve Falmer.

Ignoring the facts that it was closed because no one used it and it lost a pile of money!

 

[Herne Hill Seagull]

There must be a decent enough financial case to consider re-opening it, though, or the conversation wouldn't even be happening - these days nobody runs a railway on the off-chance it'd be convenient for passengers.

 

[The Large One]

There must be a decent enough financial case to consider re-opening it, though, or the conversation wouldn't even be happening - these days nobody runs a railway on the off-chance it'd be convenient for passengers.

It's been discussed on here many times.

It's one thing opening / re-opening the lines between Lewes and Uckfield, but that won't resolve the immediate issue - namely that South London can't cope with extra trains without a major overhaul.

 

[Mackenzie]

Saw the thread title, thought he had died.

Disappointed.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

In fairness ... the economic case for the High Speed line to Birmingham appears to stack up and the economic case for a Falmer to Hamsey line doesn't.

And, when I say "the economic case for the High Speed line to Birmingham appears to stack up", I'm aware that this is being seriously questioned.

 

[Gazwag]

The Lewes-Uckfield link that was closed in the 60s, and would create BML2, an alternative London to Brighton route - which would also of course serve Falmer.

Which in turn would hinder massively supporters travel after games

 

[Lord Bracknell]

There must be a decent enough financial case to consider re-opening it, though, or the conversation wouldn't even be happening

The conversation is only happening because one man - a guy called Brian Hart - has been campaigning for decades about extending the Uckfield line south. NONE of the many studies that have been undertaken into all sorts of variations on the theme has ever come up with a projection that delivers an overall positive economic return. In my time as a transport planner at ESCC, I think I commissioned three studies. There have been a few more since I left.

 

[The Grockle]

I would argue that a high speed rail link between London (Europes third largest city) and Birmingham (our second city) is very much needed. It currently takes 90 minutes to travel from London to Brum a journey time that can be cut by at least half with the new proposal. Also If it is a success then it will almost certainly be extended to Manchester and perhaps further afield, this much like the channel tunnel project will be a huge legacy for future generations albeit at considerable costs.

We are already behind the rest of Europe in terms of high speed rail transit and without heavy investment our out dated network will become slower and more costly to maintain add the fact that as a nation we can still borrow at low rate of interest it makes sense to invest heavily into rail infrastructure now.

 

[happypig]

I'd rather they got the time of the Eastbourne to London journey down. That takes as long as London to brum but is less than half the distance. They really should be aiming to do an Eastbourne to Victoria service in under an hour.

 

[Uter]

Which in turn would hinder massively supporters travel after games

How will doubling the number of trains through Falmer (which is what he proposes), and opening up a whole raft of additional direct destinations hinder supperters?

 

[Big Jim]

The Liberals are a bunch of liars. Thankfully I didn't vote for them this time, but have in the past. But I can only imagine how annoyed the students who did vote for them feel after they voted for tuition fees. Yes, Norman Baker voted FOR tuition fees.

Is the Seagulls party still up and running? IMO should run directly against him at the next election. I would love to see him turfed out.

 

[Czechmate]

Any chance re-opening the Shoreham to Horsham line

 

[Diego Napier]

I would argue that a high speed rail link between London (Europes third largest city) and Birmingham (our second city) is very much needed. It currently takes 90 minutes to travel from London to Brum a journey time that can be cut by at least half with the new proposal. Also If it is a success then it will almost certainly be extended to Manchester and perhaps further afield, this much like the channel tunnel project will be a huge legacy for future generations albeit at considerable costs.

We are already behind the rest of Europe in terms of high speed rail transit and without heavy investment our out dated network will become slower and more costly to maintain add the fact that as a nation we can still borrow at low rate of interest it makes sense to invest heavily into rail infrastructure now.

It does indeed but with the many hundreds of thousand of rail commuters and general travellers that area massively inconvenienced daily by the poor state of the rail infrastructure up and down the country, focusing all the spend on a prestige project that will benefit a fraction of rail travellers is the poorest of options.

 

[kevo]

Ignoring the facts that it was closed because no one used it and it lost a pile of money!

Completely incorrect. The irony of the situation is that it was actually making a profit when it was closed.

One of the Beeching cuts which made absolutely no sense - severing seven miles of track which linked the route to the rest of the network.

And there is a very viable case now for having an alternative London-Brighton route when there are problems on the main line.

Makes a lot more sense to me than HS2 - do we really need a multi-billion pound high speed link to Birmingham (the quick ones at the moment are pretty good!).

 

[The Birdman]

He is a big w***** however his ideas of re opening the Lewes to Uckfield line would be brilliant would help us with our transport links to the Amex