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More rail track between Inverness and BeaulyIt's around 8am on a dusky day in July 2016, and I'm standing on the far platform of Tain railway station, gazing out into the misty depths of the Dornoch Firth. The previous night I had come up on the late train - the 21:06 - from Inverness, though there's also a midnight service north. That left from Platform 7, which, intriguingly enough I had to walk across a car park to reach. Very few rail journeys start with a walk through a car park. But, increasingly often, many, many journeys from Wick and Thurso to Inverness involve a walk across a car park. This walk culminates with getting into a car and, well, driving down the A9. And why is this? There is a perfectly good rail line linking Thurso and Wick with Inverness, via the commuter towns of Dingwall, Tain and Invergordon, with four trains up it and down it each day (only one on Sundays). Many people marvel at the beauty of the line - it traverses all kind of landscape; the Beauly Firth, the Dornoch Firth, the Cromarty Firth, the mountains of Sutherland, Loch Fleet, incredible seascapes, marshy vistas, and vast tracts of peat bogland (the Flow Country). The line also connects with the NorthLink ferries north from Scrabster, near Thurso, to Orkney, and many people use these each year. In fact, I do. It's why I was at Tain in the first place. At Dounreay, on the north coast near Thurso, there used to be a nuclear power station. As this is decommissioned, things are transported out to Sellafield by rail. There's also timber extraction going on near Kinbrace en route - and the trees could be transported by rail. So why are people not using the line as much? Unsurprisingly, it's to do with the service. Things have become very unreliable. Delays and cancellations occur very frequently. Stops are often omitted at some of the line's busiest stations - including Thurso and the recently-reopened Beauly and Conon Bridge - to make up the time lost. The chronic problems behind these occurrences are caused by a combination of missing infrastructure and absent crew members. Out of these two, the infrastructure is the biggest problem with the line. But why is this? Well, the line is single track for its whole length, aside for some 'passing loops'. This is where there are two lines, or 'double track', but only for a short distance (think road 'passing places'); and there are loops at Muir of Ord, Dingwall, Invergordon, Tain, Ardgay, Lairg, Rogart, Brora, Helmsdale, and Forsinard. Otherwise, the train's can't pass each other. Because of this, delays can build up, causing a knock-on effect that leads to cancellations and skip-stopping. The stretch of railway between Inverness and Dingwall has only one passing place, at Muir. But this line is shared with the service to Kyle of Lochalsh (for Skye) and sees 13/14 trains per day in each direction (7 on Sundays). That's nearly 30 trains a day; and the constraints provided by the lack of track on the Far North Line, in particular between Inverness and Muir, mean that many, many of these are delayed, or cancelled. And so we return to Tain. My train northwards arrives a couple of minutes late. Not much of a delay, though we manage to pick up more and more delays on route, so that we end up around 15/20 minutes behind time on reaching Thurso. This makes commuting between the towns and villages on the southern section of the line and Inverness very difficult. And it also severely affects the northern end, too; because Thurso serves the ferry services at Scrabster and Gills Bay to Orkney. People need to be able to make their connections; being shunted out into a taxi at Wick doesn't help with things. But there is a solution. Until 1966, there were six miles of double track between Clachnaharry - to the west of Inverness - and Clunes, near Kirkhill. Since this was ripped away, this bottleneck has become worse, and worse, and worse. This is the solution; the Lentran Long Loop, as it's become known to the Friends of the Far North Line (or FoFNL). But why the name? Well firstly, it would go through the Lentran are. And secondIy: in railway terms, a 'dynamic loop' is a passing loop that's long enough to allow two trains to pass without stopping. For example, there's a couple on the main line south of Inverness, and there's one on the line from Glasgow to Barrhead and Kilmarnock. Having the Lentran Long Loop would improve services massively. An hourly service from Inverness to the towns of Easter Ross - Beauly, Muir of Ord, Conon Bridge, Dingwall, Alness, Invergordon and Tain - would become possible. Scenic tourist trains could run down the line, boosting the local economy in a ways similar to the North Coast 500 road route. The line could become a major freight corridor. But, more importantly than all of those: the trains could run on time. The ball is in your court.169 of 200 SignaturesCreated by Sam Stevens
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Sort the Pot Holes on Bodmin RoadMany people use the road, especially the elderly, the potholes make it unsafe24 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Eddie Cousins
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Stop the Closure of Deer Park Medical CentreDeer Park Medical Centre is a GP Practice providing an excellent service to a large number of people in West Witney due to close on the 3rd November 2016. It is currently being serviced under contact to Virgin Care. Whilst many of us do not agree with the privatisation of health services, Virgin are undoubtedly providing a good service. Whatever it takes to keep this practice open must be done. You cannot seriously consider allowing it to close. Other GP practices in Witney are already badly overstretched and waiting times for an appointment are often measured in weeks. This is not the case at Deer Park, I am a patient and have never had to wait more than days, also they operate walk in clinics for urgent cases. Please don't use the people of West Witney as political pawns in this dangerous game.573 of 600 SignaturesCreated by Steve Johnson
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Howard Road Chafford HundredBecause of the environment impact on the area.225 of 300 SignaturesCreated by John Bennett
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Dropped Kerb Disabled AccessDropped kerbs make a huge difference to my life and those of other disabled individuals where they are available but this availability is patchy at best with individual roads often having them only in some spots but not in others rendering overall access little better than if there were none at all. Dropped kerbs affect individuals who use crutches or walking sticks or frames or wheelchairs or mobility scooters and also affect parents with prams too so they matter to a considerable section of the community. Dropped kerbs need to be protected from careless parking by means of double yellow lines or they may be rendered useless even where they are otherwise available and these need to be rigidly enforced too. This amenity is particularly important in relation to buildings where disabled access is a necessity yet, taking my local hospital as an example, outside that complex there is no dropped kerb and an over eight inch drop to the road from the pavement. This is a far from uncommon experience and highlights the need for fresh action to put these matters right. Disabled people struggle enough to get around as it is without making this any more difficult thanks to the patchy and ill thought through provision of dropped kerbs that we currently have. Central government action and matching funding is needed as well as local government action to put the work into place.195 of 200 SignaturesCreated by David Nash
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Keep school children safe in Gwaelod-y-GarthThe scheme currently being implemented was designed to give safe passage to pedestrians and school children through the village. However, from the start of the campaign it was clear that the main priority was improved vehicular access to one property on the lane. The village as a whole voted for a cheaper and safe footpath to be installed. Despite this clear majority the council have instead decided to spend an estimated 1/3 of a £ million on improving the lane surface. This not only makes it much more dangerous for pedestrians but also is a complete waste of public money in a time of austerity. There has not been one single incident of school children or pedestrians being hurt by vehicles on school lane. There are numerous schools in Cardiff where there have been many documented incidents. Instead of spending money on improving safety at these schools Cardiff Council have decided to spend ludicrous amounts of money on improving the surface of the lane in the name of "safe routes to school". It doesn't make sense. It reeks of corruption and collusion. Throughout all of this the Council has purposefully left the residents of school lane in the dark. When they have responded they have lied. This has to stop! On top of this the scheme is destroying a historic part of the village with an ugly urban road. They are proposing to remove protected trees from the woodland and widening the lane. This is in a conservation area! Help to keep school children safe! Help to stand up against corruption! Help to save public money!128 of 200 SignaturesCreated by Jonah Wilkes
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solar supermarketit would obviously help generate the power we need,also it would stop good arable land going to waste,not to mention the eyesore in the country syndrome.5 of 100 SignaturesCreated by george dymond
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Save our adventure playgroundThe adventure playground in Kilburn Grange Park along with the playHut was part of a project (1 million) it has won an award.no one person/project took responsibility and it was left to rot. It is a really popular activity loved by all the community and visitors alike126 of 200 SignaturesCreated by Janet Rosengrove
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Save Curzon MayfairIt is an absolute travesty that developers 38 Curzon Ltd have called on the Curzon to fork out £500,000 to soundproof luxury properties they are building above it. They know that the cinema doesn’t have the funds. They know that the venue is listed and would face an uphill struggle to get permission to change its interiors. This is a de facto attempt to close the Curzon through the backdoor. Curzon Mayfair must be protected. We simply cannot afford to lose this much-loved, iconic venue. To read the Evening Standard's coverage see this link: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/historic-mayfair-cinema-faces-closure-in-row-over-noise-from-films-in-flats-above-it-a3345416.html27,362 of 30,000 SignaturesCreated by Pancho Lewis
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Save Towers Cinema BuildingTowers is an iconic and familiar feature of our town's landscape, having stood over us for more than 80 years. It is virtually the only intact period building left on our high street and as such is vitally important. It represents not only a fine example of Modernist architecture from the Art Deco period but is also a bastion of our social and cultural heritage. It was built during the golden age of Hollywood when cinema going formed a core part of people's social lives. Countless numbers of our parents and grandparents met and fell in love in those walls. It stood proud and defiant through the years of World War II, providing escapism and boosting morale for our relatives during the toughest times and it has done so ever since. If this seems overly sentimental it's because it is and should be. Buildings are not simply bricks and mortar; they are the arenas in which our lives and shared experiences are played out over generations. The council had a responsibility to protect and preserve our townscape but they have failed us. There should be good examples of buildings from every time period evident on our high street to show the evolution of our town. As it stands there is very little to show of our town's long and proud history. To lose the Towers building would be a devastating and irreparable loss. Some things are priceless, money really should not be able to buy everything and our history and cultural heritage are two of those things. Budget supermarkets are everywhere, Art Deco buildings however, are not. Once they are gone, they are gone forever and the meaning those buildings hold for us is gone with them. I know a great many people are genuinely distressed by this decision. Please help us to persuade Lidl to do the right thing and work with the building rather than demolish it. Our local heritage belongs to the people of Havering, London and the UK as a whole. Another generic supermarket is the easy, short-term, and immediately profitable option. Committing to protect and revitalise our heritage is more challenging, but surely more valuable in the long-term?697 of 800 SignaturesCreated by John Urpeth
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Save the Barnet BatsBats are European Protected Species (EPS) due to their decline and vulnerability across Europe; this means they require legal protection that covers individual bats and their roosts. Bat crime is the second most encountered wildlife crime following raptor persecution. Wildlife crime against bats, is often in the form of roost destruction and disturbance, which is not just devastating for the species directly affected at a local level but also for wider conservation efforts. Legislation dictates that any structures or place which a bats use for shelter or protection are protected from damage or destruction whether occupied or not. This legislation has been incorporated into planning policies. This means that planning authorities have a legal obligation to consider whether bats are likely to be affected by a proposed development. They are breaking the Law's in place to build a Leisure centre which is a crime punishable by up to 6 years in prison. Please see below link to the Bat Survey proving Bat activity in the park and area's they fly which is directly where they plan to build: https://publicaccess.barnet.gov.uk/online-applications/files/372770CAD090DE52FC3D178648D0BBE7/pdf/16_6118_FUL-BAT_ACTIVITY_REPORT-3510707.pdf The other proposed site for the Leisure centre - Danegrove playing field: ( A disused field nearby) On the original proposed plans : The site is also currently under-used due as previously highlighted to its topography, poor drainage and the availability of better facilities elsewhere. Danegrove Primary School currently makes use of other recreational space and has indicated that it would have no objections in principle to the site being brought forward for enhanced sports and leisure facilities which it would also be keen to use. So why use a site that is high in Bat activity and other protected species such as Owls, Hedgehogs, Wrens and Robins?428 of 500 SignaturesCreated by Zoe oConnor
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Put a green man crossing on Romsey Road at St James/Clifton TerraceThis is a main thoroughfare for pedestrians between Winchester University (via West Hill Cemetery), Winchester City Center and the Railway Station. I personally walk there frequently, have impaired vision coupled with delayed reactions, and so find it hard crossing busy roads. It can take up to five minutes to cross sometimes and it is difficult to see in both directions on the hill, and then you have Clifton Terrace traffic to consider. This is a very dangerous crossing point in our city which should have had a green man crossing years ago as there are already drop curbs in place. It isn't JUST a crossing safety issue either. It is well known that we have a SERIOUS air pollution problem in Winchester, where 40 to 50 people a year die from air pollution related illnesses. If the city could be made more accessible to people wanting to get about on foot, in a wheelchair, with pushchairs, mobility scooter or on bicycle, this would help to increase air quality. There are nowhere NEAR ENOUGH places for people to cross Romsey Road safely, with the pavement disappearing on one side for large sections, and it is one of the main air pollution traps of the city. Priority of access to Winchester needs to be turned around so that walking and other low-carbon forms of transport are catered for in the first instance, followed by public transport (buses). Also speed limits MUST be properly enforced, especially with the new homes to be built where the old Police HQ was. This will create massive increases in footfall and greater need for safe crossing points and enforcement of speed limits. I suggest flashing signs to tell drivers to stick to 20 mph. Last year Winchester City Council, in collaboration with WinACC (Winchester Action on Climate Change), launched FeetFirst, their Walking campaign led by Liz Kesler. They have been conducting Walking Audits on different routes to determine areas which need to be made easier, safer and more pleasant for pedestrians and others using low-carbon forms of transport. This includes making sure pavements are maintained, foliage is kept out of the way so it doesn't take up too much room, and adequate signage. The crossing for which I am campaigning was highlighted as a major obstacle to people getting around Winchester on foot. Work has already started to dig up the pavement to see if it is possible to put in the electrics for a crossing. This is promising, but I won't hold my breath as progress has been delayed. Also, it needs to be a crossing that beeps all the time and gives pedestrians a fair amount of time (1 minute) PLEASE SIGN MY PETITION AND HELP MAKE WALKING THE PRIMARY MEANS OF TRANSPORT FOR GETTING AROUND THIS BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC CITY!487 of 500 SignaturesCreated by Julz Hallmann
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