Politics

News story: Freight train derailment, Lewisham

Investigation into a freight train derailment, Lewisham, London, 24 January 2017.

At around 05:35 hrs on Tuesday 24 January 2017, two loaded wagons of a westbound freight train derailed as they passed over Courthill Loop South Junction, to the south of Lewisham station, while travelling at around 20 mph (32 km/h).

The accident resulted in major damage to the railway infrastructure. The first of the two derailed wagons overturned and spilt its contents. The train divided in front of the derailed wagons and its brakes automatically applied.

There were no injuries. However, there was major disruption to local train services.

The freight train was the 03:36 hrs service from a loading terminal at Grain, on the Thames Estuary. It comprised a class 66 diesel-electric locomotive and 18 bogie hopper wagons. It was carrying building sand to Neasden, in north-west London. The wagons that derailed were the 16th and 17th from the front. They were both of the JGA type.

The track work at Courthill Loop South Junction was new. It was made up of modular panels of switches and crossings that had been part assembled offsite. They had been delivered and installed as part of engineering work carried out on the weekend of 14 and 15 January 2017. Follow-up engineering work had been carried out at the junction on the weekend before the derailment.

Our investigation will identify the sequence of events that led to the accident and how the wagons derailed. It will also consider:

the condition of the wagons and how they were maintained
how the wagons were loaded
the design of the new track work at the junction and how it was installed
the condition of the track and its geometry
any relevant underlying management factors.

Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation. This report will be available on our website.

You can subscribe to automated emails notifying you when we publish our reports.

February 7, 2017 HM GovernmentHM GovernmentGB • Governmental • HM Government • political

Green Party: Housing Minister’s plans a slap in the face for people who can't afford a home

7 February 2017

*Jonathan Bartley, co-leader: ‘We must end our narrow obsession with home ownership and meet people where they are – by investing in social housing and improving the private rented sector’

The Green Party has branded the Housing Minister’s new housing strategy [1] a “slap in the face” for people struggling to afford the cost of their homes.

Jonathan Bartley, Green Party co-leader, said the Government should instead focus on:

Setting up a Living Rent Commission to bring down rents
Introducing a Land Value Tax to reduce property speculation
Expand the use of community land trusts and co-operative home ownership
End tax breaks for buy-to-let investors and use the money for social housing

Bartley said:

“The Housing Minister’s plans are a slap in the face for the millions of people in this country desperate for bold plans to reduce rents and make their housing affordable.

“People are living in desperate insecurity and we need to end our narrow obsession with home ownership and meet people where they are – by investing in social housing and improving the private rented sector. Any plan to help renters which doesn’t have at its heart a clear intention to reduce the amount tenants are paying is doomed to failure.

“It is scandalous that many people are paying up to two-thirds of their income on rent, and often living in sub-standard accommodation. The Government should immediately set up a Living Rent Commission to work out what rent is truly affordable and take action to bring down costs for tenants.

“With Britain suffering such an acute housing crisis – and with property developers earning such huge sums for simply holding onto land – it’s also clear that idea such as a Land Value Tax should be explored. Such a tax could reduce property speculation, revitalise inner city areas and raise revenue – there’s no excuse for failing to investigate it as an option.

“We need to start talking seriously about expanding the use of community land trusts and co-operative home ownership. If the Government wants to take the heat out of the housing market it must end tax breaks for buy-to-let investors, and use the money to create a new generation of social housing.

“Housing should not be a speculative commodity and we must move beyond piecemeal tinkering with a broken market to ensure that everyone has a place they can call home.”

Notes:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38884601

Back to main news page

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

February 7, 2017 GovWorldMagGreen PartyGB • Governmental • Green Party • political

Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Plan will save lives – Vaughan Gething

The plan will be published this Spring and will ensure that more people have an increased chance of survival and recovery following an out of hospital cardiac arrest.

The Health Secretary said:

“Around 8,000 people in Wales suffer a sudden cardiac arrest every year. We can save many more lives by raising awareness of resuscitation and ensuring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and early defibrillation are undertaken more often.
“We are also striving to improve the care patients receive from successful resuscitation to rehabilitation. Cardiac care and survival rates continue to improve and I want to thank NHS staff and other stakeholders who have contributed to these improvements.”

The Heart Conditions Delivery Plan, published in January 2017 seeks to deliver fully integrated primary, community, secondary and specialist pathways of care, designed around the needs of the patient. It also gives patients a shared responsibility in managing their condition, including making the right lifestyle choices.

The Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Plan will include actions to improve early recognition of cardiac arrest, immediate and high quality CPR, early defibrillation and effective post resuscitation care. Plans include ensuring that cardiac rehabilitation teams have the right training and to provide consistency of care across Wales.

Cardiac care in Wales is steadily improving with fewer people dying from cardiovascular disease. The British Heart Foundation has described Wales as a world leader in cardiac rehabilitation, as the numbers receiving this following a heart attack have increased.

February 7, 2017 NewsWelsh GovernmentGovernmental • political • Welsh Government

Review of Community Safety announced

Addressing Assembly Members in the Senedd, the Cabinet Secretary said he intends to establish an Oversight Group to review current community safety arrangements and to develop a shared vision for safer communities in Wales.

The Cabinet Secretary said:

“The safety and security of our communities has always been a priority. That is why we are supporting our emergency services and other agencies in building and strengthening their capability to protect us from these risks.

“But the agenda is, by nature, complex. Legislation and policies straddle devolved and non-devolved responsibilities. Seventeen years of devolution have necessarily resulted in differences between our policy approach and that of the UK Government. These changes have brought new opportunities but have not all simplified the context in which we work.

“Late last year, the Auditor General for Wales published a report on Community Safety in Wales. The report reflected the complexities of the agenda, highlighted some of the positive work within Wales but also raised a number of matters. I believe the report provides a valuable opportunity for us all to take stock.

“With the agreement of, and alongside, those key partners who hold the levers for change, I am establishing an Oversight Group to review the current arrangements. It will help to develop a shared vision for safer communities in Wales that builds on the excellent work already done or underway. This review will also take account of the recommendations from the Auditor General for Wales. I want the review to be ambitious in its thinking and develop a clear vision for community safety that is robust, relevant and responsive. A vision for the long term.”

February 7, 2017 NewsWelsh GovernmentGovernmental • political • Welsh Government

News story: Law change demands equal treatment for disabled taxi users

Taxi drivers face a fine of up to £1,000 if they refuse to transport wheelchair users or attempt to charge them extra, in a change to the law announced today (7 February 2017) by Transport Minister Andrew Jones.

From 6 April taxi and private hire vehicle drivers will be obliged by law to:

transport wheelchair users in their wheelchair
provide passengers in wheelchairs with appropriate assistance
charge wheelchair users the same as non-wheelchair users

Transport Minister Andrew Jones said:

We want to build a country that works for everyone, and part of that is ensuring disabled people have the same access to services and opportunities as anyone else – including when it comes to travel. People who use wheelchairs are often heavily reliant on taxis and private hire vehicles and this change to the law will mean fair and equal treatment for all.

The new rules will apply in England, Wales and Scotland affecting vehicles that are designated as wheelchair accessible and will apply to both taxis and private hire vehicles. All taxis in London and a significant number in most major urban centres are wheelchair accessible.

In a change to the law, drivers found to be discriminating against wheelchair users face fines of up to £1,000 as part of provisions being enacted from the Equality Act. Drivers may also face having their taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) licence suspended or revoked by their licencing authority. Drivers unable to provide assistance for medical reasons will be able to apply to their licensing authority for an exemption from the new requirements.

Robert Meadowcroft, Chief Executive of Muscular Dystrophy UK, said:

This is a victory for all people with disabilities who experience daily struggles with accessible transport.

Being able to get from A to B is usually very easy for most people, however we know that this can be a challenge that affects a disabled person’s entire life, including their ability to have a job and play an active part in society. This is a positive and very welcome step in the right direction which we hope will not affect the number of accessible taxis being made available by companies because of the duties now being placed on to drivers.

Muscular Dystrophy UK and our Trailblazers have been campaigning on this issue for many years, and we commend the government for listening to the views of disabled people.

The new requirements, which will come into force from 6 April, complement those already in place to prevent discrimination against users of assistance dogs and underline the government’s wide-ranging commitment to supporting transport networks which work for everyone. The government will be consulting on a draft ‘Accessibility action plan’ later this year, which will seek to address the barriers faced by disabled people in accessing all modes of public transport.