No mention of Hartlepool ... Iain Wrong and HBC took their eye off the ball ??

dowager · March 25, 2014, 07: AM

No mention of Hartlepool ... guess Iain Wrong has put as much effort into this as he has with the hospital ?

The Invitation To Tender (ITT) for the East Coast franchise has been released

The ITT will ask bidders to set out detailed proposals explaining how they will build on the multi-billion pound investment planned for the East Coast Main Line, and what improvements in passenger services they will deliver should they win the franchise.

Key features of the ITT include:

* Supporting the roll out of a new fleet of state-of-the-art intercity express trains
continuation of services to all current destinations

* Faster and more frequent services to and from King's Cross by May 2020

* An opportunity for bidders to serve five new routes including Huddersfield, Scarborough, Harrogate (via York), Middlesbrough and Sunderland (via Newcastle)

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/east-coast-on-course-for-improved-rail-services

Hartlepudlion · March 25, 2014, 09: AM

Yep, our representatives have let us down again.

Another example being the announcement today that Hull has won Seiman's investment in wind farms.

I understood from our MP that we, Hartlepool, were going to become the centre for wind farm technology and manufacturer.

Another failure of our vainglorious MP and our ineffective Council and Councillors.

What is the Council 's Regeneration Department for apart from being a house builder?

Pwilson · March 25, 2014, 10: AM

I think for this we can thank our local MP.

£100k a year between him and his wife, plus another £20-30k a year in expenses. Worth every penny I'm sure you'll agree.

Jamescampbell78 · March 25, 2014, 11: AM

This is my issue with our MP. If I'd stood and won. Raked in the same salary and expenses, refused to hold surgeries in my constituency and refused to attend Parliament I'd have achieved exactly the same as he has, apart from I wouldn't have bothered posing for photos in the Mail.

We can't even petition to have him recalled because, if I remember rightly there has to be some wrongdoing on his part (not just inaction/ineptitude) and this has to be judged by Parliament to be significant enough for recall.

If I was as bad at my job as he is at his I'd have been sacked within the first year.

Where's the accountability?

steveL · March 25, 2014, 01: PM

Wright's priority is his career and so attendance at Westminster and regular seat shuffling to catch the TV cameras are his priorities. Isn't he the Shadow Business Minister these days so perhaps the plan is working?

Jamescampbell78 · March 25, 2014, 01: PM

Shadow business minister that is overseeing his constituency bleed what little businesses it had day by day.

Inspector Knacker · March 25, 2014, 05: PM

It mentions Middlesbrough as a destination.... now as the line to Middlesbrough leads to nowhere it would have to be a starting point...... as with the Sunderland service also highlighted.... a threat to our own London service........? .... would we be offered a shuttle bus to thr boro in a transit crew bus driven by volunteers to catch our London train....?

monty767 · March 25, 2014, 05: PM

James Campbell. Surely theft counts as wrong doing? I f bought myself a hifi on my company account id be done for fraud, isn't that theft?

HarryBlackwood · March 25, 2014, 05: PM

Monty, perhaps the hifi became legitimate business expenses as it's for his secretary to listen to at work. When I say secretary, I mean his wife. £27,000 a year part time will hardly buy a decent stereo these days ;-)

monty767 · March 25, 2014, 05: PM

How sodding much?

? 27k you taking the p**s! for doing what? The hifi in question was for his "SHARED" London pad. The one he claimed fuel and heating allowance for whilst some of his constituents froze outside the bloody food bank he's so proud of.

Pwilson · March 25, 2014, 05: PM

In last years claims he claimed for a TV licence, probably for his other home but there are working people, the very hard working families his party leader wants onside unable to heat their rented home let alone stick a TV in their spare house.

mk1 · March 25, 2014, 05: PM

Quote from: Riddler5 on March 25, 2014, 05: PM
It mentions Middlesbrough as a destination.... now as the line to Middlesbrough leads to nowhere it would have to be a starting point...... as with the Sunderland service also highlighted.... a threat to our own London service........? .... would we be offered a shuttle bus to thr boro in a transit crew bus driven by volunteers to catch our London train....?

If East Coast are given a train direct from Sunderland (north via Newcastle then to the main line) they will (to start with) pitch their prices the same as Grand central and thus cream off everyone who gets on at that Station.
An East Coast service from Middlesbrough can route itself via Yarm, Northallerton & Thirsk and again cream off all those who use the Grand Central.
This would leave Grand Central with mainly the passengers who get on at Hartlepool. GC will be gone in 5 years.
Now this may sound crazy but if the rail people could get rid of Hartlepool, Billingham & Seaham they could run a direct Boro-Newcastle service via Norton Junction with a considerably shorter journey time. Given the stupidity of our councillors I can see them accepting a 'new' Hartlepool station at Wynard because it fits in with their mad expansion vision. As I said crazy but then who would have thought someone would buy the tin shed and plan to build a ferris wheel there.....................

monty767 · March 25, 2014, 06: PM

Mk1, is it ok if I post on this thread then? wouldn't want to step on more toes. I will probably be slagging Wrighty off on here so you may or may not be offended. Either way I couldn't give a toss.

mk1 · March 25, 2014, 06: PM

Quote from: monty767 on March 25, 2014, 06: PM
Mk1, is it ok if I post on this thread then? wouldn't want to step on more toes. I will probably be slagging Wrighty off on here so you may or may not be offended. Either way I couldn't give a toss.

Perfect timing. My daughter wanted to know the meaning of Non Sequitur and I can use my post with your reply as a text book example.

Keep up the tossing..............

HarryBlackwood · March 25, 2014, 06: PM

NOTE TO ADMINS. Is there any reason why Michael Kennedy (MK1) is allowed to be so abusive towards new posters?

He does it regularly with me but its water off a duck's back. When he does it to others though I find it a rather unpleasant trait.

I'd have thought you would want to encourage more people to visit this forum. Having a man with hundreds of posts to his name bullying new members is likely to alienate people.

Perhaps he just wants to talk to himself? Just a thought.