Access Now! Ian Cook Has Had a Lifetime of Struggling to Use Britain’S Railway Network Since Contracting Polio When He Was a Child
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Published by RAILFUTURE – campaigning for a bigger, better railway No 161 £2 October 2019 Picture: BEDFORD TODAY TODAY Picture: BEDFORD Ian Cook: Time for the railway to become user-friendly to match the very positive image of the leaflet, right Access now! Ian Cook has had a lifetime of struggling to use Britain’s railway network since contracting polio when he was a child. So he is launching a campaign to ensure that every railway station in Britain is upgraded so every passenger can board and alight from trains safely. Since 2010 he has been experiencing the effects of post-polio syndrome, which means that muscles previously used to overcome his mobility problems are weakening. He now has to walk with a crutch and has a stair lift at home. He travels frequently to London’s St Thomas’ Hospital for treatment but like many other people he struggles to negotiate steep steps at his nearest station, Flitwick on the Thameslink line in Bedfordshire. He told Bedford Today’s reporter Hayley O’Keefe: “Councils can apply for a grant to make alterations, but that only happens every five years, and they have to pay to make a bid. It should be universal and funding should be made available. “Some of my friends who are in wheelchairs cannot use Flitwick station. At Flitwick they do put on a taxi, but that takes you to Luton Airport Parkway, which puts an hour on to the journey. It seems a very odd way to solve the problem.” Frustrated by years of slow and inadequate action, Mr Cook has launched a national petition calling for funding for accessibility at all stations. He is considering setting up a crowdfunding campaign, and is in talks with the Disability Law Service. He has appealed to his MP Nadine Dorries, and received tweets of support from paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and football star Gary Lineker. If the signatures on the petition reach 10,000 the Government has to respond, and if it reaches 100,000 signatures it will be debated in Parliament. Sign it here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/266721 Mr Cook added: “The Government has a budget for improving accessibility but it is tiny compared to what is needed to ensure step-free access on the network. I think that people without mobility problems are making decisions, which leads to misunderstanding and no knowledge of what is actually needed. “I have contacted Thameslink and they say that the infrastructure is from the Victorian age. Queen Victoria died in 1901, so the railway network has had 118 years to become user-friendly.” Access for All: Centre pages Ivanhoe campaign banks on community backing Rail to rescue us from climate emergency By Geoff Bushell By Phil Smart grant. Lorry companies can Since it began on a Thursday Our history is rich in irony and claim VAT back and of course evening at the Railway Inn, fuel duty is frozen for them too. Swadlincote in December last the climate emergency provides year, the campaign to reopen a perfect example. Aviation the Burton to Leicester railway The 200th anniversary of Aviation is the most polluting line (Ivanhoe line) to passenger the Stockton and Darlington form of transport available to services has come a long way. Railway is just six years away. the public. It is often argued The technology that once We are gathering support from AUSTIN Picture: RICHARD that taxing aviation is a non- the public and our Facebook burned carbon to carry more starter as it would require invitation-only group has carbon from pit to port began international agreement, but is increased in membership from a transport revolution that this sustainable? 55 to 1,050. transformed the world in the Do we really believe that 19th century. We have formed a properly with European Union-wide constituted community Yet in its modern form, rail agreement, airlines would fly voluntary group and established technology is called upon to help to (say) Zurich rather than save the world in the 21st. a working committee of Frankfurt? Would people stop committed and able people. Lovers of historical irony flying to America given the will also observe that Greta option of a tax-free return flight? We have held meetings at the Thunberg, who graced the There are those who argue that Railway Inn in Swadlincote and cover of Railwatch 160, shares a taxing aviation amounts to a “sin this has become our spiritual ON TRACK: (left to right) Ivanhoe campaigner Carl Benfield, who is also a Green councillor for common trait with locomotive 40kWh per 100 ton km just to most difficult to convert to tax”. But if we believe that the home. North West Leicestershire, Nicholas Rushton (leader of Leicestershire County Council), Heather pioneer Richard Trevithick in stay off the ground and, because electricity because of the amount “polluter pays” for other forms A major turning point in the Wheeler (MP for South Derbyshire), Andrew Bridgen (MP for North West Leicestershire), Ivanhoe that both refused to go to school. of the distances travelled, needs of batteries required. Lorries of environmental damage, then campaign occurred on campaign chairman Geoff Bushell, Andrew Griffiths (MP for East Staffordshire – Burton and fuel with a high energy density. burn at best 62 grams of carbon At Railfuture’s recent AGM we why not aviation? 23 May when the group gave Uttoxeter), Ivanhoe campaigners Bruce Wakley, Douglas McLay, James Parkes and Kim Coe put Climate Emergency at the The technology to electrify our per ton kilometre. We tax alcohol, road fuel, a presentation to an audience heart of our campaigning, secure railways, however, has been Rail by comparison on average tobacco and more recently sugar, that included local MPs Heather Overseal gala, and we intend Leicestershire County and Line (CRIL) is also in discussion to attend many more events in Leicester City councils each with HS2 as part of the in the belief that the railway is an around for over a hundred burns about 15 grams and, if not just to raise revenue but to Wheeler, Andrew Griffiths and years. Our problem is not how communities along the line. pledged £10,000 towards a fresh consultation process for HS2b. indispensable component of any electrified, almost nothing. change behaviour. The landfill Andrew Bridgen, the, Leader of low carbon transport policy. to do it. We have just forgotten tax is a successful example. Leicestershire County Council This line would be an asset to the feasibility study for the line. We are always on the lookout Local distribution can be by how to do it cheaply. electric van. Nick Rushton, Edward Funnel community, reducing congestion This funding is dependent on for volunteers in our various sub In Railwatch 160 Ian Brown Growth in air travel has levelled Freight off over recent years while rail of Abellio and various other on our overcrowded roads, other councils along the line committees. Anyone interested expands on this theme but Shipping burns about 10 grams raises two areas of concern. First grows to bursting point. We councillors from all three reducing harmful emissions and making similar donations. The in our cause should contact A similar table deals with and is surprisingly efficient that our arguments need to be need transport taxes to fund the counties. creating a healthier environment, group must ensure that we [email protected]. freight and shows that rail is 10 because of the size of vessels rational and evidence-based, times more energy efficient than supporting infrastructure. The meeting was a success and regenerating communities by retain control and we will seek now in use. Those calling at our Further details can be found on and second that the railway is road and 16 times more efficient all the parliamentarians present boosting tourism and attracting a meeting with stakeholders to major ports are large enough to Should we continue to expand our website www.ivanhoeline. at risk of being caught up, or than air. So if we are to consume gave their support. The picture investment, and providing move things forward. fit an aircraft carrier inside them. airports (“sinfrastructure”) at org or our Facebook group even overtaken, by research less energy we need to choose shows committee members people with an improved Work is also onging to identify It is difficult to see a low-carbon a time of rising environmental “Campaign for the Reopening of investment in decarbonising our mode with care. with their guests. We have been commuting experience. station sites and to work with alternative for international awareness or invest in less the Ivanhoe Line”. road and even air transport. active in support of local events, We have lobbied hard to local councils to ensure that they Carbon freight, although nuclear ships polluting schemes? attending in Swadlincote both get our point across and are protected and entered into All things considered this has In familiarising ourselves Switching to low carbon could be the way forward. How much would it raise? with supportive arguments I the Festivals of Transport and the breakthrough came this local plans. The Campaign for been a very busy and successful transport is a complex process Of all forms of transport recommend Sustainable energy Research in this area is not Leisure and most recently the week when the leaders of the Reopening of the Ivanhoe first six months for the group. but it is pretty clear that a aviation is the most difficult, without the hot air by the late straightforward as much combination of electrification being dependent on internal David McKay, who was a depends on assumptions about and energy efficiency is the combustion.