Category: Transport

NIRailways, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life, Regional Development, Translink, TransportLeave a comment

everywhere else is getting investment in rail

Michael McFarland Campbell

British Railways

So the British railways* are to get investment of £8bn by the Coalition Government. Will there be further investment in the railway in Northern Ireland? Probably not.

Hopefully, the Northern Ireland block grant will get some money given to it using the Barnett formula, but I suppose it will be up to us to lobby Conor Murphy MP MLA, of Sinn Féin, the Minister for Regional Development Continue reading “everywhere else is getting investment in rail”

iLink, Metro, NIRailways, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life, ticketing, Translink, Transport, UlsterbusLeave a comment

Buy your Smartcard online – and a new one next month… Translink fails NI

Michael McFarland Campbell

Translink, Northern Ireland’s publicly owned transport company has been quite good at introducing new tickets which are in the form of ‘Smartcards’ for some years now. Unfortunately, unlike in London, it is not possible to top them up online. It is possible to go online and buy a ‘whole new card’. Recently I asked Translink for an update on this issue, the response is posted below. We have carefully considered how we might introduce on-line top-ups for our Smartlink products. This will require time and investment in order to significantly develop current ticketing technology. In the meantime, we have been … Continue reading Buy your Smartcard online – and a new one next month… Translink fails NI

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Belfast, Blogging, news, NIRailways, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life, Regional Development, TranslinkLeave a comment

blogged elsewhere… No budget, but money to waste on misleading signs

Michael McFarland Campbell

At a time when Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK not to have a budget in place, it is clear that spending will have to be curtailed as the money coming into the Province from Westminster is being reduced. Perhaps we will be able to bring more money in from tourists. read full story at Michael Carchrie Campbell Continue reading blogged elsewhere… No budget, but money to waste on misleading signs

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Dumfries&Galloway, Northern Ireland life, Police, Terrorism Act, TransportLeave a comment

Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary fails to answer #operationevacuate questions

Michael McFarland Campbell

Well the response from my letter to the Chief Constable of Dumfries & Galloway has finally arrived. It is reproduced below for reference. My comments will be in red, and quotations from legislation will be in purple, following each relevant bit. Dear Mr Carchrie Campbell COMPLAINT AGAINST THE POLICE I didn’t write a letter of complaint. I wrote a letter of enquiry. I refer to your letter dated 22 August 2010 and your complaint relating to an incident where you were stopped earlier that day, at Stranraer Port. I note from your letter that you would like me to confirm … Continue reading Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary fails to answer #operationevacuate questions

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Belfast, Disability, Health, HIV, Metro, news, Northern Ireland life, Translink, Transport, UlsterbusLeave a comment

Translink needs to work on access for disabled on buses

hivblogger

Having been falling asleep on the number 4a bus on the way home from the appointments of the day, I was very much awake when the bus driver let one person off at our stop, but then proceeded to drive on without letting myself, and my two escorts off as well – indeed we were still on the stairs at the time. I shouted No. STOP Everyone looked a bit surprised on the bus. Stephen says that those on the top deck (where he still was) were asking Did the driver just drive off there? And with the answer in … Continue reading Translink needs to work on access for disabled on buses

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Dumfries&Galloway, Police, Terrorism Act, TransportLeave a comment

response to letter to Chief Constable re #operationevacuate

Michael McFarland Campbell

Some readers will remember the problems of#operationevacuate that resulted in a letter to the Chief Constable of Dumfries and Galloway last month when I repatriated fellow LibDem Stephen Glenn from Bathgate to Bangor, County Down. This morning when I returned from my trip to Gilwell Park and Oxbridge, there was a letter from the Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary sitting on my door mat. Dear Mr Campbell, I write to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22nd August 2010. Your correspondence has been passed to Detective Inspector Amanda Scott, Operations, Port Unit to be reviewed and will be responded to in … Continue reading response to letter to Chief Constable re #operationevacuate

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iLink, London, Metro, news, NIRailways, Northern Ireland life, Regional Development, ticketing, Translink, Transport, Transport for London, UlsterbusLeave a comment

not just the posts but the trains and buses too…

Michael McFarland Campbell

This afternoon while I was visiting the capital, I had a cheque that needed to be trusted to the servants of Her Majesty’s Posts. I visited the Post Office next to St James’s Park Underground Station and came across another ‘customer experience improvement scheme’. Gone are the days of the good old British queue. Now we come in, press a button on a screen, be given a ticket with a number on it, and be asked to sit down on the ‘comfortable’ chairs to await service by one of the post office clerks. Upon being called by the machine to … Continue reading not just the posts but the trains and buses too…

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NIRailways, Northern Ireland life, Regional Development, Translink, Transport3 Comments

is cromore halt open once more?

Michael McFarland Campbell
Platform sign at Coleraine Railway Station (taken 28/08/10)

On my way back from Foyle Pride on Saturday by train I noticed that there was an interesting sign on the opposite platform when we had stopped at Coleraine station.

This has the destinations of

Portrush Direct

and

P/Rush via P/Stewart

What could this mean?

Now, this led to much discussion at our table Continue reading “is cromore halt open once more?”

Dumfries&Galloway, Northern Ireland life, Police, Terrorism Act, Transport1 Comment

#operationevacuate results in letter to chief constable

Michael McFarland Campbell
After the events of Sunday 22 August 2010, "there were a number of issues with this that we are raising as a result." (Stephen Glenn)

Well, the tale has been told by fellow #operationevacuate operative, Stephen Glenn, of what happened on our return from Bathgate to Belfast at the weekend.

My letter to the chief constable of Dumfries & Galloway, Patrick Shearer QPM has now been posted. Continue reading “#operationevacuate results in letter to chief constable”

Belfast, news, Transport, Uncategorized2 Comments

#operationevacuate of @stephenpglenn not going quite according to plan – #keygate

Michael McFarland Campbell

We’re finally on the Stenaline HSS between Belfast and Stranraer on the way to Bathgate to transport the former Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Linlithgow and East Falkirk (Stephen Glenn) back to his hometown of Bangor (County Down).

However, getting here has not been without some drama. First off, Stephen had difficulty in getting the van booked. Then when he had it booked, he arrived back in Aldergrove and almost as soon as he landed back on Irish soil his mobile telephonic device sounded – a number he did not recognise – and he was asked if that was “Michael Campbell”. Continue reading “#operationevacuate of @stephenpglenn not going quite according to plan – #keygate”