Incommunicado for a couple of days.

Tomorrow, I'm off down to Sheffield for the Community Union (National
League of Blind and Disabled section) meeting.

It's just a small meeting, dealing with employment benefits and
accessible travel and other disabled matters.

So I'll be offline for a couple of days, but write to me as usual and
I'll deal with anything as soon as I can once I'm back.
--
Alex Scott MBE

Check out my weblogs and Facebook profile at:

alexscottmbe.blogspot.com
alexscott1999.tripod.com
http://www.facebook.com/alexscottmbe

Continually campaigning for better accessability for disabled people
to public transport

Write up in Community Union Magazine.

I recently the subject of an article in "Community Magazine", the
magazine for Community Union. I've copied the article here for your
reading pleasure:

Issue 18 Autumn 2011

Article Begins:

"ALL ABOARD FOR ALEX'S RAIL CAMPAIGN

Blind Section member Alex Scott has a history of campaigning for
better transport for disabled people in Scotland. He was heavily
involved in a drive to get concessionary travel for disabled people.
But he has not stopped there.

Alex is working with a new campaign, Better Rail Services, aimed at
getting the Scottish Government to reopen closed routes and stations.
"Rail transport is all about linking communities together, that's why
Community is involved. It's good for jobs and the environment too", he
said. "That's why I'm urging Community members across Scotland and the
rest of the UK to lobby their MSPs and MPs to bring our rail system
into the 21st century".

Alex is also a strong supporter of the HS2 project to create a
high-speed rail network linking London to the north. He wants HS2
extended into Scotland much sooner than currently planned.

Community is also backing the HS2 campaign because the union believes
it is the kind of major infrastructure project that will help to get
the economy moving and reduce the north-south divide.

Find out more on the Community website.

http://www.community-tu.org/"

Article ends

Better Rail Services

Firstly we welcome the opening of the Bathgate Airdrie link and the line from Edinburgh to Helensburgh as this will change peoples lives in the future by joining up communities. It is hoped that the new Scottish Government can look positively at reopening stations and the lines that were closed down in the late sixties and there should be a timetable to do this over the next parliamentary term. They should also look at the following stations'Reston in Berwickshire (with the opening of the link to Eyemouth)East Linton in East LothianNewbury in FifeGorgie, Abbeyhill and Portobello in Edinburgh.
It is hoped that they can reopen the South suburban line and join this up with the Fife circle line. The trains would do a figure of eight outer circle and inner circle. There should also be a connection between Edinburgh and St Andrews.During the festival they should see if they can run later services to Newcastle, Carlisle, Dundee, Stirling, Glasgow and all other stations in the central belt. At the moment the last direct train leaves London Kingscross at 7pm and this should be put back to 8pm. More should be done to reduce the time to less than four hours on the east coast line. The high speed service on the west coast line could serve Edinburgh as well as Glasgow from Euston via Preston, Carlisle to Edinburgh during the peak period. This would not cost much and would save a considerable amount of travelling time from the centre of London to the centre of Edinburgh. A faster service would appeal to potential travellers who may otherwise opt to use the airlines.
The high speed link between London and Scotland is said to be with us by 2032-46. More should be done to bring Scotland into the 21st century on accessible rail travel. All these points should be taken into consideration by the Scottish government in co-operation with the UK Government.

The opening of the railway line – Edinburgh to Galashiels is in the planning stage and there should be a push for the reintroduction of the Carlisle to Hawick section of the Waverley line. This would leave a 30 mile gap in the rail link between Galashiels and Hawick which could be scheduled for completion at a later date.

The above mentioned will be an investment for Scotland’s future transport needs and help to promote tourism also the economy and employment.

Alex Scott MBE blogspot.com.

Liberton and District Community Council Chairman’s report

27.6.2011

Alex stated that a crossing was to be found at the location opposite Morrison's in Gilmerton Road of which he'd spoken at the meeting in May, He spoke of the directional guidance device for sight- impaired and registered blind people being piloted in Edinburgh. He had used it and considered it to be superior to the current key operated system for pedestrian navigation as it helps bus stops and crossings.
Funding partners in the development and distribution of the device had included the, the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) ,Halcrow and Edinburgh city council, transport Scotland.

He stated that the exponential increase in rail passenger traffic in recent years was fuelling a campaign to re-open the South Suburban, Border and other similar rail routes. Currently disused stations in the Lothians such as Gorgie, Abbeyhill and Portobello and stations such as Newburgh ,in Fife East Linton in East Lothian and Renton in Berwickshire could all now be re-opened for passenger services.

He issued an information sheet which welcomed the extension of the Edinburgh to Bathgate line to Airdrie and also summarised the case for a high-speed link to Edinburgh from London King's Cross or using an existing service by diverting the West coast run from Euston during peak hours.

"The high speed link between Scotland England is to to be with us by 2032-2045 More should be done to bring Scotland into the 21st century on accessible rail travel."

Better Local Rail Services

Firstly we welcome the opening of the Bathgate Airdrie link and the line from Edinburgh to Helensburgh as this will change peoples lives in the future by joining up communities. It is hoped that the new Scottish Government can look positively at reopening stations and the lines that were closed down in the late sixties and there should be a timetable to do this over the next parliamentary term. They should also look at the following stations'Reston in BerwickshireEast Linton in East LothianNewbury in FifeGorgie, Abbeyhill and Portobello in Edinburgh and
It is hoped that they can reopen the South suburban line and join this up with the Fife circle line. The trains would do a figure of eight outer circle and inner circle. There should also be a connection between Edinburgh and St Andrews.During the festival they should see if they can run later services to Newcastle, Carlisle, Dundee, Stirling, Glasgow and all other stations in the central belt. At the moment the last direct train leaves London Kingscross at 6 pm and this should be put back to 7 30 pm or even 8 pm. More should be done to reduce the time to less than four hours on the east coast line. The high speed service on the west coast line could serve Edinburgh as well as Glasgow from Euston via Preston, Carlisle to Edinburgh during the peak period. This would not cost much and would save a considerable amount of travelling time from the centre of London to the centre of Edinburgh. A faster service would appeal to potential travellers who may otherwise opt to use the airlines.
The high speed link between London and Scotland is said to be with us by 2032-46. More should be done to bring Scotland into the 21st century on accessible rail travel. All these points should be taken into consideration by the Scottish government in co-operation with the UK Government.

Alex Scott MBE