Im still in a state of disbelief really.
There is a group of Councillors and lord knows who else called rather grandly the City Deal who for months have been throwing ideas for improvements to traffic about left right and centre for the good of Cambridge, a lot of the ideas are based around improving bus travel.
Imagine my surprise then when earlier this week it was reported that the City Deal team have had a meeting with the main bus operator about there high ticket costs.
Is it me or what!
Saturday 20 February 2016
Space time continuum distorted down the fen part two
Is there a part two, how can there be. Well there is its the bits I forgot to say just in case you all rush of down the fen read on and be warned.
So after the terrific incident involving the lorry and the overwhelming amount of traffic, about four cars etc each side of the blockage. We all drove on across the fen when to my complete consternation I noticed road repairs, what, yes road repairs new tarmac to try and lessen some of the humps and bumps.
Now if you have never driven across there you will not know that the road is listed, not architecturally you understand but side to side so perhaps listing might be more appropriate then it is also twisted and has almost mountainous sections to contend with which are fine if you respect it and drive at speeds that mean you get to the other end without shaking and worrying about what that noise was on the car when you hit a sticky up bit.
Anyway repairs have been made so the next few crossings could need to be made slower than usual to work out which humps bumps twists etc have now gone and which remain. The benefit of those changes will of course all change if we get another odd year of weather and the road sections, concrete covered with tarmac, move again as they do on a regularish basis.
Then after my lazy late lunch I finally reach the village of Reach well not quite and what do I see, the road crossing wires of a traffic monitoring counter. The cheek of it, the county council are obviously trying to find out how many vehicles are using the fen road, despicable behaviour that will encourage people to drive the route just to go over the wires and be counted. I hope the poor folk of Reach have been warned, the users of the Dykes End will certainly have something to talk about over there pints as a result of this.
So after the terrific incident involving the lorry and the overwhelming amount of traffic, about four cars etc each side of the blockage. We all drove on across the fen when to my complete consternation I noticed road repairs, what, yes road repairs new tarmac to try and lessen some of the humps and bumps.
Now if you have never driven across there you will not know that the road is listed, not architecturally you understand but side to side so perhaps listing might be more appropriate then it is also twisted and has almost mountainous sections to contend with which are fine if you respect it and drive at speeds that mean you get to the other end without shaking and worrying about what that noise was on the car when you hit a sticky up bit.
Anyway repairs have been made so the next few crossings could need to be made slower than usual to work out which humps bumps twists etc have now gone and which remain. The benefit of those changes will of course all change if we get another odd year of weather and the road sections, concrete covered with tarmac, move again as they do on a regularish basis.
Then after my lazy late lunch I finally reach the village of Reach well not quite and what do I see, the road crossing wires of a traffic monitoring counter. The cheek of it, the county council are obviously trying to find out how many vehicles are using the fen road, despicable behaviour that will encourage people to drive the route just to go over the wires and be counted. I hope the poor folk of Reach have been warned, the users of the Dykes End will certainly have something to talk about over there pints as a result of this.
Friday 19 February 2016
Space time continuum distorted down the fen
So there I was going back home from working in a couple of gardens, I know I had said, I will go back home across the fen and have a late lunch sitting down Tubney Fen oft times a quiet oasis with just the breeze slipping through the reeds and the call of the birds for company, luxury.
I drove through Upware up and over the lodes dropped down to the field level and what was that, cars and farm vehicles all stopped and looking ahead, ahead to where one of Manchetts big recovery trucks all flashing lights was stopped at the rear of a red articulated lorry.
What the "stale Christmas cake " was going on I said to myself. Looking closer from a 200 yards away I was with other cars etc on my side of the blockage I could see the front end of the red lorry had gone partway off the road into the sticky and soft fen soil, its right black soil out there. Manchetts had got it out and back on the road, but, looking in front off and behind me I could see at least four vehicles both sides of the blockage, for that location a massive amount of held up traffic. I wont stress or even mention the silver car of idiots who sped past me before seeing the holdup and then turning round and speeding off again the other way, no I wont mention them.
Well with the recovery truck and the red lorry mobile albeit missing a mudguard moved out of the way the massive amount of accumulated traffic stated moving again. Never been held up so much down there. Trundled on across the fen until looking forward we all saw the next holdup a horse being ridden along , would the problems never stop, thankfully it pulled over giving me a chance to see a farmer having more drainage pipes put in a field down there.
And then I pulled over and long breath aahhhhhh. Lunch at Tubney Fen, reality restored all right with the world the space time continuum hiccuped and like a gravitational wave it settled back on the beach of peace.
Until that is the mob of argy bargy Coot started squabbling, the Little Grebe tittered, Gadwall and Wigeon called, well peace of a pleasurable sort as I sat there in the sunshine with my sandwiches and peppermint tea.
I drove through Upware up and over the lodes dropped down to the field level and what was that, cars and farm vehicles all stopped and looking ahead, ahead to where one of Manchetts big recovery trucks all flashing lights was stopped at the rear of a red articulated lorry.
What the "stale Christmas cake " was going on I said to myself. Looking closer from a 200 yards away I was with other cars etc on my side of the blockage I could see the front end of the red lorry had gone partway off the road into the sticky and soft fen soil, its right black soil out there. Manchetts had got it out and back on the road, but, looking in front off and behind me I could see at least four vehicles both sides of the blockage, for that location a massive amount of held up traffic. I wont stress or even mention the silver car of idiots who sped past me before seeing the holdup and then turning round and speeding off again the other way, no I wont mention them.
Well with the recovery truck and the red lorry mobile albeit missing a mudguard moved out of the way the massive amount of accumulated traffic stated moving again. Never been held up so much down there. Trundled on across the fen until looking forward we all saw the next holdup a horse being ridden along , would the problems never stop, thankfully it pulled over giving me a chance to see a farmer having more drainage pipes put in a field down there.
And then I pulled over and long breath aahhhhhh. Lunch at Tubney Fen, reality restored all right with the world the space time continuum hiccuped and like a gravitational wave it settled back on the beach of peace.
Until that is the mob of argy bargy Coot started squabbling, the Little Grebe tittered, Gadwall and Wigeon called, well peace of a pleasurable sort as I sat there in the sunshine with my sandwiches and peppermint tea.
Trumpet blowing
Cos if I dont who will!
Last summer I took part in a project led by an ex local lad Ian Humberstone about Black Dogs Traditions, I put a five minute Black Shuck story together from bits of information sourced from all over East Anglia and was recorded telling it.
The aim was for the story to be included with other material on an LP, yes you heard right an LP a limited edition production.
Last Friday a cardboard package arrived which I opened full of curiosity and lo and behold a black box embossed with a golden image and full of goodies including, the LP. Theres a CD and a tape as well, a book and a couple of posters, all made with a lot of thought and produced and sold by Folklore Tales.
Finally had a chance to listen to the LP this morning, I like it some very atmospheric tracks, as well as three Black Dog stories including mine.
Folklore Tapes Occultural Creatures Volume One Black Dog Traditions of England, only 500 copies produced.
Last summer I took part in a project led by an ex local lad Ian Humberstone about Black Dogs Traditions, I put a five minute Black Shuck story together from bits of information sourced from all over East Anglia and was recorded telling it.
The aim was for the story to be included with other material on an LP, yes you heard right an LP a limited edition production.
Last Friday a cardboard package arrived which I opened full of curiosity and lo and behold a black box embossed with a golden image and full of goodies including, the LP. Theres a CD and a tape as well, a book and a couple of posters, all made with a lot of thought and produced and sold by Folklore Tales.
Finally had a chance to listen to the LP this morning, I like it some very atmospheric tracks, as well as three Black Dog stories including mine.
Folklore Tapes Occultural Creatures Volume One Black Dog Traditions of England, only 500 copies produced.
Tuesday 16 February 2016
Countryfile kerfuffle! over deer
I have seen an article on the Internet about BBC Countryfile drawing complaints following a piece about trainee gamekeepers last Sunday. Seems to mostly be aimed at the shooting of deer correctly and then there butchery for sale.
As I am aware there are reported to be more deer in this country now than there are estimated to have been in 1066 yet the countryside habitats they live in have changed completely. The species ratio of deer has also changed completely with increasing populations of non native Muntjac and Sika. The impact is that a lot of woodlands in particular as well as gardens are being over browsed by deer. If you want to see this go to a wood that isn't deer fenced that you know had a herby/weedy understorey beneath the trees and shrubs, drop to your knees and look under the trees and shrubs, are there still grasses lush and thick together with other herby plants. Most likely the answer will be no. Does that wood still have large populations of bluebells and other spring plants or are they being browsed off by deer in particular Muntjac. If you see a gap from the ground to at least 600 mm above ground level you can almost say its deer browsing.
We are losing bluebells and other plants, we are losing nightingale and other ground nesting birds. What do we want to see? and what are we prepared to do about it? We need people who know how to control deer properly and not untrained people using inappropriate guns or even dogs.
Then there is the butchery angle. To my mind if deer are going to be controlled then its only right that the carcasses are sold to cover the cost of culling at least.
Please feel free to disagree but that's my thoughts and I know that quietly for the most part a lot of conservationists share the same view.
As I am aware there are reported to be more deer in this country now than there are estimated to have been in 1066 yet the countryside habitats they live in have changed completely. The species ratio of deer has also changed completely with increasing populations of non native Muntjac and Sika. The impact is that a lot of woodlands in particular as well as gardens are being over browsed by deer. If you want to see this go to a wood that isn't deer fenced that you know had a herby/weedy understorey beneath the trees and shrubs, drop to your knees and look under the trees and shrubs, are there still grasses lush and thick together with other herby plants. Most likely the answer will be no. Does that wood still have large populations of bluebells and other spring plants or are they being browsed off by deer in particular Muntjac. If you see a gap from the ground to at least 600 mm above ground level you can almost say its deer browsing.
We are losing bluebells and other plants, we are losing nightingale and other ground nesting birds. What do we want to see? and what are we prepared to do about it? We need people who know how to control deer properly and not untrained people using inappropriate guns or even dogs.
Then there is the butchery angle. To my mind if deer are going to be controlled then its only right that the carcasses are sold to cover the cost of culling at least.
Please feel free to disagree but that's my thoughts and I know that quietly for the most part a lot of conservationists share the same view.
Monday 15 February 2016
Doing my bit for democracy, do you do yours???
A few years ago I got myself added to the list for election staff. I work as a poll clerk, one of those folk who sit there taking your name making marks on lists and then giving you that special piece of paper for whatever election it is that is taking place.
A couple of weeks ago I was working in a local council by election for a village district councillor. There were five stations in open, I was stationed in a village hall in the ward working with one other person. The village had approx 300 eligible voters in it and about 30 of them were postal votes.
So how many people do you think voted out of 270 for a local council councillor? We had just over 50 people come in and vote, that's about 20 percent, not many is it, the final result for the election was a 30 percent vote helped by a large return of postal votes.
Where is he going with this boring nonsense you might ask. The station I have worked in twice now has as I have said about 270 people eligible to vote so we should get about 20 an hour in, not the 3 an hour we had.
We have two more elections coming up in this country; the first will be for a police and crime commissioner in May, then its quite possible we will have a referendum on Europe later on and who knows other polling areas might have local council elections as well over the summer.
I remember vividly the first police commissioner election, there were three of us in a polling station west of Cambridge and we got about a 5 percent turnout, I think we all read lots of books, talked and tried not to fall asleep. I am hoping that this time round more people will vote after all the commissioner does hold a large budget of public money.
But the most important vote coming up is of course the Europe referendum whenever it takes place. Given how important this will be for the country I am hoping that everyone will vote who can, but I wont hold my breath mind we did get a 70 percent turnout in the general election so who knows.
Perhaps voting should be compulsory whether in person at a station or by post for all elections, after all if you dont vote you cant complain about the result can you.
A couple of weeks ago I was working in a local council by election for a village district councillor. There were five stations in open, I was stationed in a village hall in the ward working with one other person. The village had approx 300 eligible voters in it and about 30 of them were postal votes.
So how many people do you think voted out of 270 for a local council councillor? We had just over 50 people come in and vote, that's about 20 percent, not many is it, the final result for the election was a 30 percent vote helped by a large return of postal votes.
Where is he going with this boring nonsense you might ask. The station I have worked in twice now has as I have said about 270 people eligible to vote so we should get about 20 an hour in, not the 3 an hour we had.
We have two more elections coming up in this country; the first will be for a police and crime commissioner in May, then its quite possible we will have a referendum on Europe later on and who knows other polling areas might have local council elections as well over the summer.
I remember vividly the first police commissioner election, there were three of us in a polling station west of Cambridge and we got about a 5 percent turnout, I think we all read lots of books, talked and tried not to fall asleep. I am hoping that this time round more people will vote after all the commissioner does hold a large budget of public money.
But the most important vote coming up is of course the Europe referendum whenever it takes place. Given how important this will be for the country I am hoping that everyone will vote who can, but I wont hold my breath mind we did get a 70 percent turnout in the general election so who knows.
Perhaps voting should be compulsory whether in person at a station or by post for all elections, after all if you dont vote you cant complain about the result can you.
Sunday 14 February 2016
Should have heeded Dad more
Lost my Dad a few years back but still remember and use some of his sayings which were often pithy and to the point.
Only thing is that over time I should have heeded at least one of them more closely, as to why well I have mentioned copping an infection in early December I think? The problem is I'm still not back to normal, well as normal as I get anyway!
The sayings that come to mind are;
You cant do enough for a good boss..................................that's if you can find one.
and
Hard work never killed anyone.........................mind its buggered a few up.
Now whatever anyone says I have always worked hard to earn my weekly shillings all be it for only a small number of employers, and since being self employed that has continued perhaps working even harder if not too hard.
Methinks some serious talking to ones self is required.
Only thing is that over time I should have heeded at least one of them more closely, as to why well I have mentioned copping an infection in early December I think? The problem is I'm still not back to normal, well as normal as I get anyway!
The sayings that come to mind are;
You cant do enough for a good boss..................................that's if you can find one.
and
Hard work never killed anyone.........................mind its buggered a few up.
Now whatever anyone says I have always worked hard to earn my weekly shillings all be it for only a small number of employers, and since being self employed that has continued perhaps working even harder if not too hard.
Methinks some serious talking to ones self is required.
Helping the self employed!!!!!
Talk on the telly this morning about a report presented to David Cameron about what the self employed need in this country to help them.
How about dropping any idea of monthly income returns for starters.
Then what about an easily accessible list of what can be claimed for by those of us doing our own accounts cos we dont earn loads but still want to pay our dues tax wise.
How about dropping any idea of monthly income returns for starters.
Then what about an easily accessible list of what can be claimed for by those of us doing our own accounts cos we dont earn loads but still want to pay our dues tax wise.
BBC Radio 4 Open Country Return to the Fens
A nice listen for just under half an hour, nice mix of history, personal reminiscence and views about the future of part of the fens, namely the Great Fen project area.
My only thought was mention should have been made of the other restoration projects; those of the RSPB at Ouse Fen, the National Trust and there Wicken Vision and then the work to provide alternative habitat for wildlife especially when they are kept of the washes when spring flooding takes place such as WWF's land at Welney and the Environment Agencies land Coveney way.
Might never equate to anything like the fens used to be but all of them are helping wildlife amid the intensive agriculture.
I know there are views for and against all of these schemes, mine supports them there is room for wildlife and agriculture.
Catch a listen of the programme if you can.
My only thought was mention should have been made of the other restoration projects; those of the RSPB at Ouse Fen, the National Trust and there Wicken Vision and then the work to provide alternative habitat for wildlife especially when they are kept of the washes when spring flooding takes place such as WWF's land at Welney and the Environment Agencies land Coveney way.
Might never equate to anything like the fens used to be but all of them are helping wildlife amid the intensive agriculture.
I know there are views for and against all of these schemes, mine supports them there is room for wildlife and agriculture.
Catch a listen of the programme if you can.
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