To: Network Rail CEO Mark Carne

Remove the Pointless Fence on Den Lane, Uppermill, Saddleworth

Network Rail are putting up a galvanised steel fence in the middle of a Conservation Area.

We want them to stop, pull it down, and put it nearer to the track out of sight which is where the original one is.

Why is this important?

It is important because this fence is destroying a beautiful place that is a haven for tourists, locals and wildlife.

On May 16th work started building a fence. Nobody was consulted and noone had been informed about it. Immediately the local councillors, residents, the former mayor all objected. Their requests for a site visit were all ignored. The workers refused to give their names, their bosses contacts, where they worked from, which department. They refused any information.

Dozens of residents contacted Network Rail via their helpline along with the councillors - still no site visit and the request for the work to be stopped was ignored.

No less than thirty letters later and still no phone call nor site visit. Rather than speak to the local parish councillors to talk about a fence that would be more in keeping, and trackside where the original fence is, Network Rail sent more men with bigger machines to, as one of their workers said, 'put it up quick'.

One week later and Den Lane as it was was destroyed. And still no call from Mr Carnes office.

Network Rail had already caused a lot of damage to the area, chopping down ancient trees in the middle of the nesting season. Here on Den Lane we have bats, owls, deer, foxes, jays and lots of other wildlife. Trees had been felled directly next to the roosting site of bats.

What Network Rail have done is shocking. They are doing this all over the country and it has to stop. And it stops right here. And we hope others will join us in challenging Network Rail's 'slash and burn' approach.

NOTE IMPORTANT
Network Rail have cited cases of people and children trespassing onto the track to justify their actions. We have checked with the Police and no cases have been reported to the local Police in the last 11 years.

Also Network Rail cite vandalism [their actions are an act of vandalism in fact] as another reason for the fence. However zero cases of vandalism to the track area have ever been reported. The only 'vandalism' that has occurred was the dismantling by locals of the Pointless Fence last week. That however was not vandalism, but an act of direct protest by people who felt they were being ignored. Vandalism is the defacing of property. Dismantling a fence in protest is not vandalism.

Also the fence is entirely pointless - reason?

You can access the line easily on the other side of the track from the bridleway. That is in fact where the fence needs to be built.

Mark Carne CEO Network Rail has wasted £30,000 of public money on...

The Pointless Fence.

And unfortunately for the residents of Uppermill, they have also wrecked Den Lane in the process.

How it will be delivered

via social media and in person using a mobile device in the location

e-mail

press conference also

Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL

Links

Campaign Facebook Page

Updates

2020-03-11 12:12:39 +0000

lovely to see 20 new members thanks for joining us - if you want to know the back story please read the thread below here - and also have a look at this it is pretty comprehensive - we are in the OLDHAM TIMES newspaper tomorrow - WELCOME!

https://www.facebook.com/pg/saddleworthfriends/posts

2020-03-07 08:15:14 +0000

500 signatures reached

2020-03-06 18:46:19 +0000

PLS like and share:

https://tinyurl.com/NRFIVELIES

2020-03-06 18:41:34 +0000

the article is based on the list of lies Network Rail has told our community

LIE ONE – There are no red flagged species on Den Lane. WRONG. THERE ARE BATS , or at least were.
LIE TWO – ‘We will pay some money towards the community’ WRONG. No money has arrived in over a year.
LIE THREE – ‘We will plant an area of Uppermill to make up for some of the trees we have chopped down on Den Lane’ WRONG – no planting has happened in over a year.
LIE FOUR – ‘We got it wrong and will now consult with local leaders and the community before any works are commenced’. WRONG You put up three more fences without talking to anyone.

LIE FIVE We will meet you in December 2019 to ‘either swap for something more in keeping or remove it entirely’ Terry Strickland. [NO MEETING AND NO SUPRISE]

2020-03-06 18:38:42 +0000

this is going in the actual paper next wednesday please read and share:

https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/news/18282889.uppermill-rail-viaduct-protesters-network-rail-deadlocked-fence-compensation/

2020-03-06 18:29:10 +0000

cont.

NR claimed to put in a fence to make and area safer for children however that was also WRONG and ended up as a front page of the local paper because they made children a playground by chopping down all the trees and they then played BEHIND their fence!

LIE 5 We were promised a review of the Pointless Fence in December 2019 to, and we quote verbatim ‘either swap for something more in keeping or remove it entirely’ by Terry Strickland. [IT WASN’T – another LIE]

PLEASE READ AND SHARE - there is more press to follow

https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/news/18282889.uppermill-rail-viaduct-protesters-network-rail-deadlocked-fence-compensation/

2020-03-06 18:28:22 +0000

Well, below is the latest scathing article about Network Rail's complete failure to carry out ANY of its promises regarding the fence that they put up which serves no purpose whatsoever - that article will go into print next Wednesday :

LIE ONE – There are no red flagged species on Den Lane. WRONG. THERE ARE BATS , or at least were. [N R chopped down bat habitats]

LIE TWO – ‘We will pay some money towards the community’ WRONG. No money has arrived in over a year.

LIE THREE – ‘We will plant an area of Uppermill to make up for some of the trees we have chopped down on Den Lane’ WRONG – no planting has happened in over a year.

LIE FOUR – ‘We got it wrong and will now consult with local leaders and the community before any works are commenced’. WRONG You put up three more fences without talking to anyone.

2019-10-30 12:06:54 +0000

Over a month since we wrote to the CEO of Network Rail - no reply from him yet.

https://tinyurl.com/tututHaines

2019-09-30 10:04:30 +0100

Please have a look at this - Network Rail fail yet again to deliver on their promises.

Please like and share - https://www.facebook.com/saddleworthfriends/photos/a.2056921691196166/2386399821581683/?type=3&av=2056168661271469&eav=AfaacZpKBi7I9qSWioU4DXL8S9_D_s2nxMhQdjwFqrnuLwQMMhkT4insDee24Nnku4VwowAhU1UEynxcqP0vGXTr&theater

2019-07-24 17:46:05 +0100

ALSO NOTE - BAT MAPS REQUESTED BY FORMER MAYOR DEREK HEFFERNAN OVER A YEAR AGO STILL NOT ARRIVED - NR SENT SOME BUT THEY SENT WRONG ONES -- THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD STILL NO MAPS! DO THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE?

2019-07-24 17:34:02 +0100

News: Network Rail have done a u turn. By way of an apology they promised community money almost a year ago. It never arrived. Now they are saying they changed their mind. We do not accept that and have told boss Stricland to pay up. Also we WANT RID OF THAT FENCE

2019-05-01 11:14:36 +0100

Have a read of this - very interesting and also related to our situation:

https://www.facebook.com/saddleworthfriends/posts/2279140495640950?__xts__[0]=68.ARArhSI8tzKUebAB0__kH1AgaJussgW61QC4bFfMZyvmoDSEZNJoHL3lNpNb1IDU3H_iDkJAfP-BPJBGKmzepM0EcJd1nbuirh19GiSHAQt2YXmn4MofLFmUOI--0bFvUZtqvj890Gwrahdudcr3HR_s1qteFiLyKH-tsJUAGVt-Inb5W7WOJBRMgrgEV_1HHDALWSp2mRO6BstTwX0qGC3S75X1m3QL1I-_kWiuCR3dDth8BDv9Svm6S-1wvd4UpUDF87GfF6GaX00KwnI05bssvmQ32UWgTghlIqhoOv1d1nSxHntkTZEQGDVI3yxPNNOD_P51kmii8bgV4stuMmA-VdTc&__tn__=-R

pls like share etc

2019-04-24 08:34:38 +0100

Please have a read of this - Network Rail's promise of considering removing the middle bit of the Pointless Fence was made public at the Local Parish Council recently so they cannot backtrack.

https://www.facebook.com/saddleworthfriends/photos/a.2056921691196166/2274877766067223/?type=3&theater

2019-02-26 16:25:30 +0000

Now that The Pointless Fence Fiasco is in the national press, there will likely be more people coming forward with other stories of how Network Rail behave.

Hopefully this will have an impact. The 478 Friends of Saddleworth at a recent meeting asked NR directly 'after what has happened in Uppermill, what will you do differently, how will your behaviour change?' The response was unclear.

Maybe they will genuinely listen to people who have to live with the consequences of their mistakes rather than just ignore them as has happened here. Maybe they will be less stubborn. Maybe they will demonstrate best environmental practice? Maybe the CEO will even reply to a letter [he has not yet - we find that quite incredible, so arrogant].

Maybe.

One thing for sure, the only time NR has responded so far is when they have had negative press.

Thank you for your continued support.

2019-02-26 08:39:32 +0000

Network Rail's Saddleworth cock up in this weeks Private Eye.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2241979256023741&id=2056168661271469&ref=page_internal