Council admit election pledge is unworkable Options

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Are you really accepting that politicians should make promises and break them? Isn't this why politics is already in the gutter?

You are at best naive Richard if you don't realise that most voters are aware that ALL politicians are compulsive liars. You would not stand a chance of getting elected if you told the truth. The average Joe Thicko could not handle it.

[dannyboy]

Are you really accepting that politicians should make promises and break them? Isn't this why politics is already in the gutter?

I just find it rather hilarious that someone who was making rather a lot of pre election promises which would never have been kept has the temerity to berate another party for doing the same.

[Richard Garvie]

We could have delivered our manifesto, we knew what we had to do to achieve each goal. The fact is, we worked with members and the public to come up with a document that represented what the people of the district wanted. Anything that was not deliverable was left out of scaled back.

Back to the Tories, a bridge could have been built if the developers of Kennet Heath and Colthrop had been asked to contribute as part of their planning conditions. Once again, just another example of the council failing to have any foresight or carry out proper impact studies.

[Biker1]

I and if a train stops at the station, before or after passing the level crossing, the barriers remain down until the train is out of sight, and the result is that traffic can be stopped for up to 15 minutes.

Rubbish - If a train stops at the station AFTER it has passed the crossing the barriers raise.
If they remain down another train is coming.

While a train is stopped at the station (before or after passing the level crossing), traffic is allowed to cross the road.

So you think that a 100 ton train approaching a level crossing should have vehicles and pedestrians allowed across in front of it?
As above, after a train has passed, the barriers raise immediately UNLESS another train is coming.

[dannyboy]

We could have delivered our manifesto, we knew what we had to do to achieve each goal. The fact is, we worked with members and the public to come up with a document that represented what the people of the district wanted. Anything that was not deliverable was left out of scaled back.

We'll never ever know will we?

Back to the Tories, a bridge could have been built if the developers of Kennet Heath and Colthrop had been asked to contribute as part of their planning conditions. Once again, just another example of the council failing to have any foresight or carry out proper impact studies.

LOL, even more daft ideas. Which one are you - Pisthetairos or Euelpides

[Biker1]

As to the barrier timings. I've never understood why the crossings on the old Southern lines through town centres are so much slicker. Today's technology means that the 'dwell time' could be made to suit the train. Timing them to suit 125mph trains is simplistic and frankly arrogance on the railway's part.

Most of the lines on the "Southern" are much slower than those through Thatcham.
The lines through Thatcham are 110mph.
The signalling has to be designed to cater for this speed which means they also have to handle the 90mph "clapped out" ones and the many freights. Signals are at a fixed distance.

Yes, I know trains take a long time to stop - even the wretched clapped out filthy local ones we have. However, arguably the railway authority ought to have thought of that before running 125mph trains through Thatcham on a line designed to take 50mph at most! What would they have said if the Highways Agency redeveloped the road and made it a dual carriage way - and a 70mph limit? Whats sauce for the goose etc.

The line is designed to take 110mph trains.
I don't know of any 70mph dual carriageways with a level crossing!

[user23]

Are you really accepting that politicians should make promises and break them? Isn't this why politics is already in the gutter?

Richard, where's the Mayoral Election that Labour promised us?

[Richard Garvie]

Richard, where's the Mayoral Election that Labour promised us?

We promised a referendum, and we will deliver one.

[Richard Garvie]

LOL, even more daft ideas. Which one are you - Pisthetairos or Euelpides

Maybe daft to you and the powers that be here, but we should be planning ahead and delivering infrastructure funded by developers as part of new developments like other local authorities do.

[dannyboy]

Maybe daft to you and the powers that be here, but we should be planning ahead and delivering infrastructure funded by developers as part of new developments like other local authorities do.

Planning ahead is one thing, expecting developers to fund multimillon pound road projects is another.

[Andy Capp]

I'd suggest that getting industry to fund a bridge would also make them stake holders in the route. A route many see as a dangerous short-cut exploited by heavy goods vehicles.

[Richard Garvie]

I'd suggest that getting industry to fund a bridge would also make them stake holders in the route. A route many see as a dangerous short-cut exploited by heavy goods vehicles.

Could the route between Thatcham Station and Greenham Park not be upgraded then?

[Richard Garvie]

Planning ahead is one thing, expecting developers to fund multimillon pound road projects is another.

Happens elsewhere.

[Andy Capp]

Could the route between Thatcham Station and Greenham Park not be upgraded then?

Anything is possible, but now we have mission creep.

[On the edge]

Most of the lines on the "Southern" are much slower than those through Thatcham.
The lines through Thatcham are 110mph.
The signalling has to be designed to cater for this speed which means they also have to handle the 90mph "clapped out" ones and the many freights. Signals are at a fixed distance.

The line is designed to take 110mph trains.
I don't know of any 70mph dual carriageways with a level crossing!

So there is no reason why trains through Thatcham shouldn't go slower. The line was designed in the 1850's when speeds were very much slower - nothing much has changed in infrastructure terms. You are quite right about dual carriageways, so why weren't they eliminated when the higher speed trains were introduced? Please don't tell me that the railways actually need such speed. Like it or not, the roads are our commercial arteries and these are becoming blocked locally. Is that what we want a slow economic death?

Appreciate if a bridge was built, that would put pressure on doing something about the road network beyond - big picture again.

Have said it before, will say it again, this wouldn't be tolerated 'oop North' so why here - where we actually generate the wealth?

[user23]

We promised a referendum, and we will deliver one.

Go on then, name a date or you're as guilty of what you accuse the Conservatives of.

[dannyboy]

Happens elsewhere.

Examples please.

[dannyboy]

Could the route between Thatcham Station and Greenham Park not be upgraded then?

You mean remove the 7.5 tonne weight limit on Thornford Rd. That is what is stopping HGVs using the route you suggest as a rat run.

[spartacus]

You mean remove the 7.5 tonne weight limit on Thornford Rd. That is what is stopping HGVs using the route you suggest as a rat run.

That weight limit was spawned from the loins of Owen Jefferey and Terry Port.... (what a thought..) Terry went yonks ago and now Owen has been ousted... What are the thoughts of the new Tory incumbents Dominic Boeck and Roger Croft?

Dominic and Roger are virtually neighbours and live off Agricola Way so should have a good idea of the impact on traffic in the immediate area....

[spartacus]

The line was designed in the 1850's when speeds were very much slower - nothing much has changed in infrastructure terms.

As McEnroe might say........... You CANNOT be serious....!!