Friends Of Long Rock Mexico Crossing Newsletter Mon 29.04.

13
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/friendsoflongrockmexicocrossing/388829381211332 Rob Nance: 28 Godolphin Road, Long Rock, TR20 8JP, 07973 369968, robzrob@hotmail.com Update since last newsletter Network Rail (NR) has applied to Cornwall Council (CC) for the crossing to be closed permanently. We tried to persuade CC to reject the application & re-open the crossing immediately, but they said they needed time to evaluate the application properly. Last week CC issued a consultation letter which has been sent to interested groups like us & to individual households close to the crossing. Most people have not received one, but this is not a problem. If you have received the letter, you can reply if you want. The letter includes a form for you to fill in & return. If you didnt receive the letter & you want to express your objections to the crossing closure, I can provide a form (see contact details above; write, call in, ring or email). All you have to do is tick the box for "I object to the proposal" & write down why you want the crossing to be re-opened or you can say, For the reasons given by FOLRMC, but you do not have to do anything. CC will not be counting how many people return forms & how many dont. If you have not received the letter, don't worry, FOLRMC are writing a response which will cover all the reasons that the crossing should be re-opened. It will be visible later this week on our facebook page (above) & at stopnetworkrail.org.uk We have been collecting information & gathering support: We have had a meeting with Andrew George, MP, who has been very supportive. He has agreed to speak to the minister responsible for railways about NR's policy of closing as many crossings as it can without any regard for the consequences to local communities. We have had a meeting with two senior officials from the Office Of Rail Regulation, the government watchdog organisation which makes sure NR behaves properly. They have agreed to speak to NR about how it is handling this case. We have been analysing the survey forms you have returned, more about this below.

Next steps We are now preparing our response to NR's application & we are confident that we can answer every one of NR's facts & arguments. This does not mean we are guaranteed to win but we have a good chance. CC will make its decision by the end of May. The decision will be either: To reject NR's application, in which case CC should reopen the crossing straightaway. NR then has the right to ask the Secretary of State for the case to be decided at a public inquiry, but NR might decide not to bother. To accept NR's application, in which case CC must send the case to the Secretary of State for a public enquiry.

Survey results (so far) Many thanks to all who filled in survey forms, we have collected some very useful information. We distributed forms to 274 addresses: west as far as Chy-an-Mor, east as far as Shiver-Me-Timbers & north as far as Darlington Road & one or two places up towards the A30 roundabout. So far we have received 214 completed forms. Forms have also been available at the shop & post office & we have received 48 forms from people living outside Long Rock. This makes a total of 262 returns in all. Results are: All respondents were using the Mexico crossing when it closed. Respondents were using it for a wide variety of reasons, mainly for health & leisure but also for necessary journeys such as walking to work or going shopping. Respondents were using it frequently: each person used it on average 277 times a year (we counted a return trip across & back as one use). Fewer people now use the two alternative crossings: 52 people (20%) use neither & therefore no longer go out to the path or beach at all. Those who use the alternative crossings do so less frequently: each user of the vehicle crossing used it on average 96 times a year & each user of the road bridge 52 times. Of those who use the vehicle crossing, 35% find it inconvenient & 62% find it dangerous. Of those who use the road bridge, 11% find it inconvenient & 76% find it dangerous.

The forms we received from the village came from 129 of the 274 addresses. This means we have received nothing from 145 addresses. It's not too late. Blank survey forms are still available: from the shop, post office & Rob Nance (see contact details above; write, call in, ring or email). If you value the crossing, please fill in a form & return it before Monday 06.05.13. More information needed Some of your forms included useful comments & stories. We might be contacting some people to ask for more details. Please contact us if you have any good stories about using the Mexico Crossing, for example: teaching children how to cross safely & letting them cross on their own. Please contact us if you know any stories about using the vehicle crossing or the road bridge, for example: someone saw a child getting snagged on the gate & lifted into the air. Has anyone been hit by a car? Can anybody remember anything about the following? When did the railway line change from two tracks to a single track? Car accidents anywhere in Long Rock or on the Marazion road, especially where pedestrians or cyclists were involved.