Safety On The London Underground
This post has been inspired by this article on The Times, which is entitled Woman Who Lost Limbs In Tube Accident Seeks Sadiq Khan Meeting.
This is the sub-heading.
Sarah de Lagarde has launched legal action against Transport for London, which she says has not accepted responsibility and needs a comprehensive safety review.
These two paragraphs add a few details to the story.
A public relations executive who lost her right arm and leg after being hit by two Tube trains has called on Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, to meet her to discuss Transport for London’s “outdated” attitude to safety.
Sarah de Lagarde, 46, slipped on a wet and uneven platform at High Barnet station in north London in September 2022 and fell down the gap between the train and the platform. No one heard her cries for help after she broke her nose and two teeth in the fall. After being hit by two trains she was rushed to hospital, where her limbs were amputated.
These are my thoughts.
The Brave Paramedic
My late wife was a family barrister and one of her clients had been one of the brave specially-trained paramedics, who go under London Underground trains to rescue those who’ve tried to commit suicide or have just fallen, as this lady had.
He said that many don’t succeed in committing suicide, but lose a number of limbs and/or end up in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives. So professionally, he told my wife, he would never recommend it as a method to commit suicide.
Suicide Pits
It should also be noted, that large numbers of Underground stations have suicide pits, where if you fall you may avoid injury or survive. Wikipedia says that a pit halves the number of deaths.
These galleries show the lines at various platforms on the Northern Line.
Angel – Southbound
These pictures show the Southbound track at Angel station.
It should be noted that Angel station does not have platform edge doors.
The suicide pit was installed or rebuilt, when the station was rebuilt in 1992.
Bank – Northbound
These pictures show the Northbound track at Bank station.
It should be noted that Bank station does not have platform edge doors.
The track was rebuilt in the last three years.
Bank -Southbound
These pictures show the Northbound track at Bank station.
It should be noted that Bank station does not have platform edge doors.
The track was built in the last three years.
High Barnet
These pictures show the tracks at High Barnet station.
It should be noted that High Barnet station does not have suicide pits or platform edge doors.
Woodside Park
These pictures show the tracks at Woodside Park station.
It should be noted that Woodside Park station does not have suicide pits or platform edge doors.
These are a few final thoughts.
I don’t like being on the platform, when a train goes past or comes in. Would platforms be safer, if there were shelters or recesses, where passengers could stand back and hold on away from the platform edge?
As an instrument engineer, I wouldn’t be surprised that a specialist camera system couldn’t be developed that could detect bodies on the track.
I have a feeling that some judges might say that London Underground were not doing enough to stop injuries to those falling onto the tracks.
ICE Report Shows Majority Open To Net Zero Changes
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on The Engineer.
This is the sub-heading.
A new report has found that a majority of the UK public is amenable to the behavioural changes needed to hit the country’s net zero targets.
These two paragraphs summarise the findings of the report.
Published by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Infrastructure (APPGI), the report was based on a survey of 1,000 respondents. It found that 57 per cent were open to change, with 23 per cent described as net zero enthusiasts who were likely to have already altered their behaviours, and 34 per cent wanting change, but feeling they needed further empowerment to achieve it.
However, there is far from universal agreement when it comes to behavioural change around climate action. The report found that 30 per cent of people were ‘reluctant followers’, largely acknowledging that the UK must act on emissions, but not feeling personal responsibility for that action. This segment will likely only change their behaviours if forced to do so or seeing a majority of others doing it first. Finally, 13 per cent of those surveyed were classed as ‘net zero resistors’, people who don’t believe action is necessary and have no intention of doing so.
Summing the figures up gives us.
- Net-Zero Enthusiasts – 23 %
- Wanting Change – 34 %
- Reluctant Followers – 30 %
- Net-Zero Resistors – 13 %
All politicians should be forced to read the full report.
What Would I Need To Do To Achieve a Personal Net-Zero?
My circumstances probably cover a lot of people.
- I am a widow living alone.
- My house is well-insulated with solar-panels on the roof, but heated by gas.
- I don’t have or need a car.
- I do nearly all my shopping by public transport and carry it home.
- When I go away in the UK I use trains.
- If I go to Europe, I either go or come back by train.
- I am coeliac, which means I need to eat some meat to stay healthy.
My largest carbon-emitted is probably my house, but it would be unsuitable for most current solutions.
I would put myself in the Wanting Change group, but I could move to a Net-Zero Enthusiast, if the right technology came along.
- I have seen one bolt-in electric replacement for by boiler and when the right one arrives, I’ll probably fit one.
- An affordable battery to work to with my solar panels and also allow me to use Off Peak electricity would be nice.
- As I’m coeliac, I tend to buy in the same food each week from Marks and Spencer to eat in. I might be able to cut my carbon footprint by getting Ocado to deliver. Especially, as some deliveries seem to be bike.
- If TfL decarbonised the bus, that I use most days to and from Moorgate would that lower my carbon footprint?
I suspect the largest amount of carbon outside of my house’s heating, that I’ll emit, will be tomorrow, when I take a train to Newquay.
How Do We Convert The 13 % Net-Zero Resistors?
The recent protests by French and Belgian farmers indicate, that these farmers are probably in this group. And there are other forthright groups!
The only way, that they’ll be converted, is if technology allows them to earn the same amount of money and have the same outgoings, as they do now!
East West Rail: Bedford Mayor Unveils Eight Alternative Routes
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The Mayor of Bedford has unveiled other potential routes for the East West Rail (EWR) project through the borough.
These four paragraphs outline the current plans and the result of the Mayor’s study.
EWR has already announced its preferred route, linking Oxford and Cambridge via a new track running through Bedford to the north.
Conservative Tom Wootton has defended spending £40,000 to commission consultants to explore alternative routes to the south.
Their report concluded that all options would boost the Bedford economy.
The mayor reflected: “While there is no definitive winner among the proposed routes, the economic potential of the project for Bedford is significant.”
This map from the article shows the current planned route.
Note.
- Bedford St. Johns station will be rebuilt.
- Trains will go straight through Bedford station.
- Tempsford station will connect the East West Railway to the East Coast Main Line.
- The East West Railway will unlock the building of much-needed housing and commercial developments at Cambourne.
- Trains will go through Cambridge South, Cambridge and Cambridge North stations, and thus serve all important areas of the UK’s Eastern Powerhouse.
As there is no definitive winner among the proposed routes and the economic potential of the project for Bedford is significant, perhaps we should just get on and build the East West Railway’s preferred route.
Energy / Sullom Voe Terminal To Be Connected To The Grid By The End Of Next Year
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Shetland News.
This is the sub-heading.
POWER supply to the Sullom Voe Terminal is set to be provided by two 43-kilometre underground power lines from the Gremista substation by the end of next year.
These four paragraphs outline some of EnQuest’s plans.
The on-site gas-fired power station, operated by Equans, is due to be switched off in the fourth quarter of 2025 as it no longer meets stringent carbon emission standards.
EnQuest, the operator of the terminal, gave an update on its plans for the 1,000-acre site during a Shetland suppliers forum held at Mareel on Wednesday morning.
The company was keen to present itself as one that is seeking collaborative working with the local businesses and the community as Sullom Voe transitions from an oil terminal to a green energy hub.
The company is in the middle of a “right-sizing” project that involves some significant decommissioning of equipment no longer needed to make space for long-term aspiration such as carbon capture and storage, green hydrogen production and offshore electrification.
Note.
- Two underground cables will be coming from Gremista to Sullom Voe.
- Up to seven wind turbines could fit on the site to produce power needed for green hydrogen production.
- Shetland is set to be connected to the UK national grid later this year thanks to a new 600MW HVDC subsea transmission link which will run to Caithness.
- The Sullom Voe power station, once switched off, could be “repurposed” to continue producing energy using clean fuels.
- EnQuest are certainly doing a comprehensive job on the transition.
- It looks to be a well-thought out plan to convert existing oil and gas infrastructure to a modern green asset.
This Google map shows Gremista to Sullom Voe.
Note.
- Sullum Voe is at the top of the map.
- Gremista is marked by the red arrow.
- It looks like the cable could take mainly a straight North-South route.
This second Google map shows Sullum Voe
Note.
- The Sullum Voe terminal is at the top of the map.
- Sullum Voe is a 1,000-acre site.
- In the South-West corner is the closed Scatsta airport.
This third Google map shows Lerwick.
Gremista is marked by the red arrow.
I do have some thoughts.
Scatsta Airport
Consider.
- It takes takes over three hours on a bus between Lerwick and Sullum Voe
- Scatsta Airport only closed in 2020.
Is there an opportunity for an air taxi between Lerwick and Scatsta?
The Anonymous Widower 