"Incredibly patronising and insulting" were the words used by RAIL editor Nigel Harris in yesterday's magazine, hot off the press. It would seem that it wasn't only us who were a little narked by the LibDem MP's comments towards hobbiests on rail stations using cameras. It would also seem that RAIL have a bone to pick with Norman Baker, too, as they are of the opinion his recent national media campaign against what he sees as Britain heading into a "police state" was pinched from RAIL magazine themselves.
As long ago as September, we've said how RAIL leads the way in getting those in authority at rail stations and British Transport Police officers to let those with cameras simply continue enjoying their hobby and to leave them well alone. The LibDem Transport Spokesman, it appears, grabbed his "much-needed publicity" from the pages of the railway mag following correspondance earlier in the year with them which showed he vetted the pages of the publication.
In complete contrast, the LibDems have released details of proposed re-opening of rail lines, should they win the next General Election. Here's the list and as impressive as it may read, is not an early April Fool's joke:
Bletchley-Oxford
Matlock-Buxton
Crewe-Northwich
Galasheils-Carlisle
Penrith-Keswick
Leamside & Stillington lines
Barnstaple-Bideford
Lewes-Uckfield
Exeter-Oakenhampton
Plymouth-Tavistock
Colne-Skipton
Reconnect Meadway Valley Line with Gatwick
Reconnect Bentley with Whitehall-Bordon
Reopen Stuard Road chord, Camberley
Taking just one as an example, Matlock-Buxton could be reopened for £100m, or so their figures would suggest. As grand as this all seems - so too is the accompanying list of 7 brand new stations they'd open along existing lines as well as 6 new entire rail lines, none of which will ever happen.
As my dad used to say "the thing with the LibDems is that they can say anything they like as they know they'll never have to implement it".
