On Jan 16, 12:57*am, Ross wrote:
On Sat, 15 Jan 2011 23:28:30 +0000, Neil Williams wrote:

[..]

We still have the guard on rural services.

Actually, on the latter - if it is decided that Beeching style cost
cutting is needed again, I hope that DOO and destaffing is considered
before closure, and that Crow does not force the Government's hand in
favour of closure.

I don't think it's the unions you need to be concerned about, Neil.

The problem will be the media seizing the opportunity to publish scare
stories (nasty things happening making good press) and generally
making it politically impossible to go down the road of further DOO -
especially as any DOO of rural services will require the massive
watering down of the current DOO safety requirements.


It depends what the stance of those who give "the media" their orders
is, the London Evening Standard might be in favour of automatic
trains, instead of ones driven by Bob Crow's men, a lot of "nasty
things happening" are kept secret from the public when it suits TPTB.

On Sun, 16 Jan 2011 13:37:48 -0800 (PST), alexander.keys1 wrote:
On Jan 16, 12:57*am, Ross wrote:
On Sat, 15 Jan 2011 23:28:30 +0000, Neil Williams wrote:
[...]
The problem will be the media seizing the opportunity to publish scare
stories (nasty things happening making good press) and generally
making it politically impossible to go down the road of further DOO -
especially as any DOO of rural services will require the massive
watering down of the current DOO safety requirements.

It depends what the stance of those who give "the media" their orders
is, the London Evening Standard might be in favour of automatic
trains, instead of ones driven by Bob Crow's men, a lot of "nasty
things happening" are kept secret from the public when it suits TPTB.

Given that we're now discussing the potential DOO operation of rural
branch lines rather than the more urban routes around London, I doubt
the Evening Standard or its paymaster(s) would give a monkeys.

The issue would be the tabloids and the regionals/locals seeing the
opportunity for some great scare-story headlines (local media
surviving on such stories as far as I can tell) which would make
things politically difficult.
--
Ross

Speaking for me, myself and I. Nobody else
- unless I make it clear that I am...