Whether we like it or not.
The Railways are a law unto themselves and unlike most other organisations are extremely difficult to communicate with.
Big Brother knows what is best for us and treats us like ignorant plebs.
Most people object to be treated like morons - if we can cross a busy road with safety how much easier it is to cross a line with only a train every now and then - credit us with some intelligence.
Here in Ulverston we are having a valuable facility being undermined by sheer blind obstinacy.
We can no longer cross the line at Ulverston Station but are expected to use the subway.
At the moment this is only on a trial basis - December 4th to 20th - but you wonder what will happen next.
Many people ignore this stipulation and cross the line anyway even though this is made difficult by the the obstructions put in place.
Though this is a facility that isn't used by many, for those that would benefit from wheeling their bike or their heavy case carrier across the line there has been and one suspects will in the future be totally unnecessary hassle.
Why do unthinking authorities want to throw their weight about and make life difficult for us?
The policy at Ulverston makes no rational sense because only a few stops down the line at Silverdale there is no other way of crossing to the other platform than to go over the line. This must work fine and its not as though there won't be many people using the station because its used a lot in connection with the popular bird sanctuary.
I would urge you to make a fuss if you see this restriction as totally unecessary.
It isn't in our natures to object and this is the way Big Brother does what he likes.
However for those it does affect it can be a real pain adding stress to what most of us find a demanding experience - traveling with heavy cases or a bike particularly if we may be disabled.
Why do we have to find time for what should be such a basic right? Life is difficult enough and most of us can't find the energy for yet another hassle.
The Green Party, here in Ulverston, to their credit is putting up a fight over this issue but it isn't easy.
Get in touch with our secretary, Judith Filmore by email using judyfilmore at btinternet.com (or me by email and I'll forward your posting - gd at tygh.co.uk ) if you feel enraged and are willing to help. We haven't given up and plan further action.
7 comments:
You are a bit late with this Geoff ,the gate was locked months ago - quite rightly in my opinion. So far as I know the station staff have to escort wheelchairs etc. across the line by arrangement. Sounds quite sensible to me.
Thanks A.R.
I've been keeping track of the situation over the past months.
When I requested for help with a trolley with cases when going on holiday and followed the instructions given on the notice, I was told that I had to request this 20 minutes before the train - and I was 15 minutes before.
They would have had to bring someone in specially.
There is no mention, as I remember, of this twenty minute requirement on the notice.
What is on trial for this fortnight is - as I stated - that they are not allowing anyone across the line under any circumstances.
They have an extra person in the ticket office at all times to give assistance with anyone who is using the subway.
But why is this on trial for only 14 days.
It suggests to me that they are gathering data to show that there is very little problem here in Ulverston really and anyone needing assistance in the future had better use another station.
Or has anyone else got a better explanation?
Getting information out of the Railway is apparently extremely difficult.
I'm still waiting for an answer to a complaint about Lancaster Station which I made on the internet (having been taken round and round in circles). They promised an answer in 24 hours and that was a week ago . . .
I figure they just wait for people who raise problems to give up trying - which leaves us very angry - promising one thing and then ignoring the promise - they must be Liberals in railway uniform.
There are plenty of times when the station is unstaffed ,what happens then ? I find the staff to be very helpful but they can't do two jobs at once. I agree there is a sinister undertone behind this experiment. One answer would be to route all trains through the nearside platform . Could this be done or is the signalling and points changes required too complicated ? I do a bit of wheelchair pushing in my job ,i don't see how they could be got up and down those stairs though !
So, A.R. have you ever used the rail crossing with a wheel chair.
And how did that work ?
No I haven't. Some wheelchair -bound people have asked to be taken to Dalton where it is easier to get them on the platform for trains to Lancaster direction. I think there have been cases where the railway have actually paid the taxi fare in arrears when there has been no help available at Ulverston. Hope this helps.
A.R. - Thanks, you may have given us a clue as to what they plan.
I still feel they should leave us to take care of ourselves.
If we can cope with fast moving cars why can't we take care of ourselves with trains.
If they don't think it's safe then why do they allow the situation at Silverdale - it seems total nonsense to me.
I DO NOT need a big (idiotic) brother looking after me and neither do the rest of us.
If they want to make a democratic decision why don't they ask the public what they think.
No matter how they skewed the sample they selected I can't believe they would ever got a majority vote or even 20% in favour of locked gates at the crossing.
The next thing will be the Electricity company telling us that we're not allowed to wire a plug ourselves, or the Gas telling us we can't light our oven or gas fires.
Should we be kept under house arrest with these slippery pavements and people (like me) who are damn fools and ride a bike in the snow should be slapped straight in irons.
Long live the Nanny State.
My God you enjoy Sky Diving. That's clearly a case for the Asylum.
Wow you go out in the evening when it's dark - look at the danger you expose yourself to and the extra work you give to the police and hospitals for sorting out all that extra crime and injury.
Shut up Geoff your going off the deep end.
What's that knock at the door?
"Yes officer".
"I'll come quietly" . . . . .
(you must be joking- will I ever?)
.
Babies in prams ? poor mothers.
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