Rother Valley Railway

I don’t think ministers should be criticised if all they do is read the summation. That is not their job to do more than that and it would be physically impossible to read all the information on every case. I am fine with a detailed inspectors report being rubber stamped unless there is some overriding national interest type consideration (which I don’t think applies here). What I lament is the time taken. It’s axiomatic but we could have built a cathedral by now ( or a railway)

 

Is not that what Senior Managers in any organisation do unless the subject is super critical or political (and I do not mean party politics).
Certainly I was always told by my GM it would be on my head, not his, if it all went wrong at a later date.

 

That happens in many cases but if the Minister decides (either on his own initiative, or on the advice of his Special Advisors) to examine every detail then he will do so.

Alan Clark believed his Civil Servants hoped certain things would escape his detailed scrutiny if they buried them deep inside the pile of papers in the weekend or overnight Red Box. He liked to pick them out and send them back for further attention.

 

Many - though I'd expect ministers to be a little more cautious because, if it blows back, it will be them at the despatch box defending the decision.

 

Not like this, then? (from an RTJ video)

 

Not bad, perhaps a tad too clean.
I was imaging the corpse of Lord Mount Prospect from John Betjeman's short story of the same name.

 

I’m in no position to question the experts’ analysis of the role of Civil Servant vs Minister but the current Governing party has a track record of ministers ignoring the recommendations of their department in favour of doing a mate a favour. I’m really hoping this isn’t a case like that!

 

Likewise. Which is also why I mentioned Jenrick’s issue with Desmond - it’s had quite a salutary impact in reminding them that they can’t just do that.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

More positively, I recall that the reconstruction of the Welsh Highland railway was approved contrary to the inquiry inspector's advice (1999?).

 

The High Court's ruling that the Government was unlawful in awarding Covid contracts is one example that suggests to me that, unfortunately, at least some of them still see the law as irrelevant to governing as they wish

 

It's worth remembering that the Jenrick case and PPE overlapped, so I'm not sure "still" is necessarily appropriate - though Truss' use of the word "mandate" is a significant tell about the belief of some in the rights of power.

 

It was on the news this morning that Sally-Ann Hart Conservative MP for Hastings and Rye will not selected by the local Conservative Party to stand at the next General election. She was opposed to the reinstatement of the RVR between Robertsbridge and Bodiam both as the MP for Hastings and Rye and as a Rother District Councillor. She is not the MP for the land required for the re-instatement - that is Huw Merriman [MP for Bexhill and Battle] - He is supportive of the railway and is currently Minister of State for Rail and HS2.

 

I subsequently contacted DfT with a couple of questions. They confirmed the Inspector’s report has been received by the SoS and is under consideration; and also that National Highways (formerly Highways England) have withdrawn their objections - not a surprise, based on their statements at the close of the inquiry.

 

It's probably an irrelevance, as barring something seismic happening in this country's political woes, Hastings will almost certainly turn red at the next GE. Huw Merriman, by contrast, has probably one of the safest seats in the country.

 

Hastins was red until Rye was added to the area and it would seem likely to return to red at the General Election. Bexhill and Battle is probably one of the safest Conservative seat in the Country.

 

Interesting - the process seems to take a number of months once the report is recieved - but at least we are in the next stage.

 

This is very surprising given her moving speech recently on the floor of the House of Commons when she asked, "would somebody mind closing that window please?"

 

Sally- Anne Hart, has been all but invisible, down here in her constituency, We never see her, and I understand local party members are not best pleased with her, "she's taken the money, and not produced anything for it," One i know said,
Getting back to the RVR and the inquiry, at least its been confirmed that the highways agency has resolved it's objections, that would have been a deal breaker, so hopefully thats another hurdle cleared, now we need the minister in question, to get their finger out,

 

Seen on RVR

https://fb.watch/iK0LN5y_0L/

Turntable testing.

 

The Transport and Works Act

Rother Valley Railway (Bodiam to Robertsbridge Junction) Order

We want to share with you the good news for the reconnection of the Kent and East Sussex Railway to the Network Rail main line at Robertsbridge which will bring great economic benefit to the local area.

Following the Public Inquiry in 2021, the Secretary of State for Transport has announced that he has decided to make the Order to enable completion of the railway.

The decision is warmly welcomed by Rother Valley Railway and our colleagues at Kent & East Sussex Railway. We are looking forward to working with everyone to bring the new railway to fruition.

Work will start at the earliest opportunity to carry out the land and ecological surveys. Substantive physical works are unlikely to start before next year.

Once the reconnection is complete, visitors from all over the country will be able to come to Robertsbridge by mainline railway before boarding a Kent and East Sussex Railway heritage train to visit Bodiam Castle, Tenterden Town and other local attractions.

We look forward to working with others to get the job done and the reopening of the Kent and East Sussex Railway through to Robertsbridge Junction Station.

Mike Hart OBE
Trustee
Rother Valley Railway Ltd