Any-old-hoo, I trust all is well with you, dear reader, and that Santa emptied his sack in your chimney with the desired results.
TBH, there's not much news around to talk about. I see that Scobie The Younger has been arguing against spending dosh on the refurb of Ramsgate Station on the grounds that it'll soon be made obsolete by the ridiculous new Thanet Parkway. Quite why someone who wants to be the next MP for South Thanet would undermine the main railway station in the chief town in his potential constituency is a bit of a poser.
Ah, but then our foetal Labour candidate lives in Cliftonville, doesn't he? So I suspect he's more aligned with the Margate Mafia than us minted Ramsgate DFLs who want to walk to a station where we can be whisked to God's Own North London in just over an hour!
Speaking of Margate, this year the town will be putting on a New Year's fireworks display. It's the first time for ages, and it's been instigated by those nice hedge fund people who run the Sands Hotel. Of course, in past years Margatonians have just had to make do with watching another amusement arcade burn down. Oh how times have changed over on the North Side!
Meanwhile Ramsgate will be continuing its long tradition of seeing the New Year in with a bang, so do pop over and say hello!
Oh yes, and to show that I don't just make this bilge up, I heard a rumour the other day that those pyrotechnics people out at Manston might be pulling the plug, due to their lives being made a misery by the elf 'n' safety types. It comes to something, doesn't it, when the council can't be arsed to inspect restaurants, but can make life hell if you're just cooking up a few bangers!
32 comments:
they aren't any better at stopping fly tipping nor clearing up dog sh*t. seems rubbish collecting is still hit n miss at times as well. Still I'm sure they are good at something just can't think of anything ATM
Good to see the South Thanet Labour candidate, who grew up in Margate, has the same disregard for Ramsgate as we have come to expect from the north side. The quicker TDC gets absorbed into a unitary or split into its component towns the better.
Hope that's not the same "Royal Sands Hotel" as in "Pleasurama" otherwise they will never come up with the dosh and it will all go off like a damp squid.
Oops! My bad Mr Readit. I've de-Royalled them now.
I think you need to re-read what Cllr Scobie said and not what his opponents claim he said. In these cash strapped times he said:
"I am fully supportive of these plans as long as Ramsgate station continues to be used.
"The lack of consultation about the proposed new Thanet Parkway station concerns me. If that goes ahead do we need to spend £400,000 improving a station that will decline in use? We need consultation."
Clear enough, he supports the Ramsgate Station improvements but don't spend this huge sum until the case for a new parkway is resolved one way or another by the local councils and government.
One thing you can rely on: politicians who know nothing about how travel infrsatructre actually works talking about it as if building a railway station is like opening a Tesco Express.
There's no case for a new Parkway and it's never going to happen - the costs in building it and presumably rerouting *three* railway lines (What do you do with the Dover line?) to cater for...some sheep and cauliflowers on top of a hill?
It's an insane idea, put forward merely to distract attention from other issues. It would cost tens of millions...and take years to get through the planning process - and for what? A station in the middle of nowhere that is simply not needed and, while we're at it, is not operationally useful to the operator or Network Rail either.
It's *easy* for both the transport board and the airport to disengenuously propose it. Not least as when Network Rail say it's impossibly expensive (as there's no demand to satisfy) they become a ready made fall guy for torpedoing an idea that could never work in the first place. Classic Sir Humphrey.
So it's not that the 400K shouldn't be spent "until the future's worked out", it's tbhat the future *is* mapped out and the investment/refurbishment in the Thanet stations is pàrt of what will really happen, rather than some pointless disingenuous fantasising by those with other agendas.
So, 11:04am, what you are saying is that Scobes The Younger is being incredibly clever and attempting to flush out the uselessness of a Thanet Parkway station by pretending to think £400K for the Ramsgate station refurb might be a waste.
TBH, if that is his highly intellectual, political plan, then it's far too complicated for likes of poor old me, and the voters of South Thanet, methinks! If he doesn't want to be labelled a Quisling North Thaneter, a straightforward 'No to Thanet Parkway' and 'Yes to £400K for Ramsgate station' would suffice!
This is EXACTLY why we need people like Will, to think positive and look to the future!
Same old politics, try to stand on the fence just in case. Let's face it, young Scobie was brought up on the north side, his father is a north side councillor and he is well and truly indoctrinated with Margatitus. Why, he was even mayor of the place.
Despite the Labour luvvie leaping in at 11:04, this is a young lad, wet behind the ears, out of his depth and with the wrong background for Thanet South.
Let's have a couple of seasoned campaigners, untarnished by local rivalries, to do battle with whoever UKIP produce. The danger otherwise is that with Sandys out of the picture and a inexperienced Margate lad representing Labour, this constituency is being served up on a plate for the purple brigade.
So we have a young local councillor who wants to be careful with our money! A bit different from the older lot that speculated £3.4 millions and lost.
Well the owners of Southend Airport part paid for a new railway station to be built there so it could happen in Ramsgate/Manston if the new owners of the airport and the housing speculators trying to develop Manston Green cough up. They are very keen for others to fund a new parkway for their own benefit but we will have to see if there put their money where their mouth are.
I understand that there has been a Manson KLM ad on TV. Is this a last ditch effort to get the passenger numbers up? It would be interesting to find out who funded this ad. Hopefully its not KCC.
I'd rather a "young lad" who is 4 years away from 30 than old an buffer who is 20 years past retirement.
For all of you that may have missed the boxing day KLM Manston TV ad on Youtube.
You may be able to spot 4 other passengers at Manston as well as the happy family in the ad and no other cars going to the airport.
4:21, the only candidate so far declared is the young lad so I do not know where you get your 20 years past retirement bit from. Even last time, the two main candidates were experienced but a long way short of retirement age.
Really do not see why it has to be a choice between just out of unis and pensioners. There are a lot of years and people in between.
I think 4.21 may have been referring to OBE Rodge-Kenoby from the planet UKIP.
8:14, it is much more likely to be Nigel himself than the Colonel.
Luton is one of the busiest airports in the country. It has had its own Parkway station for the past 15 years or so - it's situated a 10 minute busride from the airport at the end of a dual carriageway at the bottom of a big hill.
Manston already has *two* parkway stations 10 minutes' drive away down a moderate hill. They just happen to be called Minster and Ramsgate.
I see Paul Carter has been given a CBE.
I've always wondered what the 'C' stood for.
Anon 12.44 I am sure Cllr Carter got his notification just before he pulled the KCC welfare report that highlighted how many are suffering in Kent under the government's welfare reforms. I hope the pending award did not cloud his judgement.
I suspect for many recipients the C in CBE stands for crooked. Meanwhile over on the Daily Mail's local organ, Thanetlife, I see the flightless Biggles is whipping up anti-immigrant hysteria yet again. I wonder how long it'll be before he tries to blame a bunch of Bulgarians for upturning his teeny tiny plane a week or so ago. That would get him not just the sympathy vote he so depserately wanted but also the drooling support of his little posse - Nora Batty, William Epps, John Holyer, Old Uncle Tom Cobbley…
The problem with modern politicians is that they decide what the rest of us should think and then set about convincing us. Will Scobie may well think that Thanet Parkway is a great idea but those of us who use the existing train service and station have our own opinions and we ought to be listened to (because we actually pay the fares). As things stand we are in the absurd situation where people like Scobie and Gale, who do not use the service will decide to alter it to the detriment of those who do pay and do use it daily.
Good day, 4:44, we would certainly know what the 'C' would stand for in your case, but happy new year anyway and thanks for the mention.
Only a twit like Epps would be pleased at being mentioned for brown-nosing Moores.
Why does he insist on posting on all the blogs instead of doing council work?
William, you old p-teaser. I just know you mean it stands for Cutie. A Happy New Year to you too…mmm…
This high speed service is amazing when the line was electrified eons ago the boast was Margate – London 100 minutes. It’s now 110 minutes! Quelle progresse!
Thanet Parkway at Manston will probably have trains arriving at the same frequency as the Stagecoach bus services. If you catch the last flight from the jolly old land of tulip bulbs and Edam when you get to Manston A clear the arrival formalities you’ll find that there ain’t any buses running that late nor taxis in the Airport rank. A pity about the lack of synchronisation with the airport arrivals and departures, still that’s Fanit! Couldn’t organise a pissup in a brewery. I forgot the brewery’s Waitrose now! Even the accredited taxi company works on the basis of “We’ll ring for a taxi when you arrive”. When the taxi arrives around 15 minutes later and you get to your destination you’ll find you’re charged about eight quid for journey of around 2.5 miles into Ramsgate. Still the new Thanet Parkway will probably form part of the top secret proposed Thanet Metro scheme with an underground rail service linking the Airport to Westwood Cross, the three Thanet towns and rail stations. The Metro being constructed on the continental evacuate and refill basis, with underground shopping Malls and parking at its key termini.
Corrupt countries results: how would Kent do?
Our councillors still would have us believe there is no corruption at KCC and TDC.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/01/01/the-3-most-corrupt-countries-in-the-world.aspx#.UsUY_9JdWYk
I see that Tony Flaig is strangely quite on the whole Manston Parkway thing and doesn't even get a mention in his usual anti-Labour rants. I wonder why this is?
Anon 4:44,
Thank you for the mention. It is good to know that I am able to get under your skin. I notice that schadenfreude is alive and well in the screaming hell of your twisted mind.
You are the person who would stab his best friend in the back just so you could write something vile on his tombstone.
I see Holyer and Epps are upto their usual tricks here and on Michael's blog of ruining debate with irrelevant comment and childish insults. They are idiots and should stick to their own blogs.
The Manston Parkway seems a complete irrelevance as does the Bulgarians mass immigration.
I would like to know more about TDC corruption such as EKO or Pleasurama tax havens or the Chinagate donations - who accepted those?
The Labour Party is in a mess locally and for a prospective MP not to understand crucial issues concerning his future electorate is symptomatic of this branch being finished.
Their stupidity is unforgivable and they have let down many loyal voters.
Good point 9:01. Clive has done nothing after 2 years now. Young Will is simply Daddy's Boy keeping his head down and hoping to just rotate through the Party positions. He's done nothing either but to remain silent like Sandys is worse. More arrests would be a positive start to the New Year.
Cancer Victim
Cancer Victim,
As you say, Tim, more arrests would be a positive start to the new year. Starting with you, Tim, for the crime of being a blo..dy nuisance.
The only victim you are, Tim, is of your own bloody stupidity. Isn't there a tablet you could take or something to calm you down and give the rest of us some peace.
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