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Dear everybody
I'm stepping back a bit, and some of you need to step forward a bit. Please!
You could be forgiven for thinking that after Lord Hendy’s awful announcement of another 20 months at least of Botley Road closed (not to mention work on the station itself continuing into 2028 or even later!), that it's just more of the same, but even worse.
However I'm quite sure things have changed fundamentally. The full ghastliness of our situation is now publicly known, and can longer be ignored as it has been for so long. I do believe Network Rail is – at long last! - becoming more open and engaged. A session at West Oxford community centre last week was a proper community meeting, instead of those ghastly ‘drop in’ events which seemed designed to neutralise public opinion, and wow, it was lead by actually responsible for the work, instead of PR people. And there’ve already been significant improvement for instance in the frequency of the Botley Flyer bus service. Community groups have been set up to represent those most affected, small businesses and the disabled. So things are happening.
Neither the County Council nor Thames Water have shown the slightest contrition for their part in this disaster - so we need to press them even harder.
This means there's a lot to do. I obviously can't do it all - for several reasons. Firstly for the past few months this has taken up too much of my life, I have other things I enjoy more (funnily enough!). And more importantly, as we move from general campaigning Into get into particular things that we want fixed or improved, this has to be a community effort. And different communities want different things. For those in the front line it’s about noise and traffic control, but out in West Oxfordshire it's perhaps more about bus routes.
So what I'm suggesting is that we look for people who will pick up concerns in their local community and communicated them either directly to the powers that become or, sometimes, via some sort of steering group. Because sometimes, the solutions will affect many communities, for example changes to bus routes. So a loose sort of 'network'. To use that word positively for once.
It won't be a big time commitment but it will need good communication within your community and sometimes a quick-ish response. Your community might be a few streets along Botley Road, or Cumnor or a village out in West Oxfordshire.
Please think about it. In a world in which we all think that somebody else will step up, nobody steps up and nothing gets done. It could be you!
If you think it might be please email me julianlevay@gmail.com.
Well. The rail minister Lord Hendy long last visited Oxford yesterday. He brought the truly appalling, unbelievable news that having hacked at 100 yards of road for 20 months now, Network Rail now proposes to hack at exactly the same stretch of road for another 20 months, with the road not reopening until August 2026. Although of course nobody believes what they say - not even the minister, who refused my request to put his career on the line if that date was missed.
What was positive was the energy and togetherness of the community, despite the secrecy and last minute changed of venue, over a hundred protesters gave him an utter roasting as he arrived and in the meeting. We are at last getting national media coverage and at last both councils are waking up to their responsibilities.
The campaign must go on, indeed move up a gear. Another 20 months will kill off a dozen local businesses and blight so many lives, as I'm discovering, right out into Oxfordshire to the west.
There's lots to do.
Unfortunately this is all costing more money, £400 just for leaflets and posters advertising the event and placards and banners. I'm so grateful to every donor. Despite the news yesterday, you are achieving something, I assure you: a community is coming together and is resolved to defend itself.
URGENT change of venue for minister's visit now.
The King's Centre, Osney Mead, Oxford, OX2 0ES.
Timing remains same, be there at 930.
URGENT
Please come to the protest for the rail minister's visit to Botley Road on Friday 24th January at 9:30 outside the Botley Community Centre which is near the river.
Unbelievably, he is taking over the community centre and then barring access, except to those who he's invited!
Control freakery of the highest order. So those most affected by the closure won't get in.
Protest meeting outside from 9:30, as we need to catch him before he gets in there. Please bring placards. If you know anybody with video skills and equipment let me know
BREAKING - MINISTER'S VISIT
We believe rail minister Lord Hendy and Network Rail chief exec Andrew Haines will visit Botley Road this Friday morning and will meet people from the local community at West Oxford Community Centre at around 11:15.
Please come if you can, difficult as it's a working day, but it's important that they see how upset we are and listen to what we have to say. Prize for the best placard! Please don't obstruct people trying to get about.
Further updates here
The cost of producing the report is much higher than planned, because I decided that it needed to be high quality to make an impact. I'm willing to bear these costs but if you're able to make a contribution you can do so here
Please can can you help organize the demonstration for the ministers visit?
(believed on Saturday 25th January but we're still awaiting details). Either by comment here or julianlevay@gmail.com.
There'll be a public meeting in Frideswide Square, whatever time his visit is. Lula has kindly agreed to take us into her cafe, if it starts pouring! We will also post people at either end of the Tunnel of Doom since he has to go through that. We're also asking him to meet a deputation of local small businesses. Media will be invited and we're also going to video it ourselves.
What we need to make placards and banners etc plus encourage shop owners to put up posters, which we already have, and be ready to spread the word as soon as we get it - which might not be until a day or two before.
The report has prompted quite a few people to describe their own experience of the closure. This one is particularly appalling:
"Thank you so much for doing this. I ended up leaving my job (NHS) because the impact on my commute became unsustainable although I kept going for the first year. I've met another NHS worker who had to leave their post as a direct result. It is incredibly depressing how little thought went in to what a catastrophic impact this would have on so many lives."
Some comments on the report
Names omitted as it wasn’t always clear whether people were willing to be named publicly.
- [From a person with mobility problems] “wonderful to finally see our voices in
black and white, thank you! I almost dare to hope we might be heard”- “packs one heck of a powerful punch”
- “to add insult to injury Andrew Haines CEO of Network Rail was knighted in
the New Year's Honours”- “Network Rail should compensate the elderly and disabled by paying for taxis
for them to get to hospital appointments etc”- “bring back the stocks and rotten vegetables! Businesses have gone bust!
Lies have been told! People need to be sacked!”- “we should all go out on protest, it's a complete disaster”
- “it's easy just to feel powerless and defeated and it's a really positive step to
have collected so much background on the whole sorry saga as a springboard
for action”- [From a person with mobility problems] “your publication is wonderful. I just
hope it has the desired effect on those responsible - although I suspect they
haven't admitted that responsibility, even to themselves”- “now over to all the ‘important’ people who might take notice and act”
- “reading about the project in its entirety really brings home how incompetent
it has been. Since 2023 I've been asking highways and the bus companies to
do something to improve the Osney Island bus stop, especially seating and
shelter. I got nowhere and the blame goes in all directions including the
church”- "what a fantastic and upsetting read. They must sit up and take notice now-
surely?”- "a revelatory document, excellent…. We hope that people, especially with
influence, as yet unfamiliar with this obscene situation will read and react”
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Lord Hendy will visit Oxford on 25 January to announce new plan.
Date for your diary. If you are able to help organise the public meeting please get in touch
Staggering admission by NR that they didn't do necessary preparatory work, to cut costs. Well, that was pretty obvious....
https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/24839001.minister-rail-boss-visit-oxford-road-shut-since-2023/
It’s being said, though not yet confirmed that Lord Hendy will visit Oxford on 26 or 27 January, presumably to announce the new plan. We’re trying to fix for him to be met by a deputation of small business owners – and perhaps another of disabled people.
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