Bus route change in Manea deprives villagers of 'lifeline'
An elderly man who used to travel by bus several times a week said he was no longer able to because of a route change.The Stagecoach 56 route in Manea, Cambridgeshire was altered to improve service punctuality as nearly half of buses were not running on time.George Brown, 92, said: "I have had a hip operation which makes it hard to walk. The old bus stop was just at the top of the road but now it's too far."The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority insisted it was "not feasible" to restore the route at this time and said the village was still covered by a bus request service.
Instead of stopping at Westfield Road in the village, the service now terminates outside the Rose and Crown pub, leaving some passengers with a mile-long walk (1.6km).The authority said passenger numbers were lower in the part of the village the bus no longer covered.Mr Brown, who has lived in the same house for 60 years, gave up driving at the age of 80 and said he was now forced to spend more time indoors."I used to go out three times a week to visit March for shopping and take a trip to Wisbech on a Saturday," he said.Villagers can use an app to book a pick-up using the authority-funded Tiger on Demand bus service but Mr Brown said he did not own a smartphone or computer.
Manea Parish and Fenland district councillor Charlie Marks was disappointed by the change.He said: "No consultation has taken place with villagers, who are the ultimate losers again, especially those who rely on this service as their lifeline to and from the village."Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayor Dr Nick Johnson told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire he was "keen to visit Manea and ride on a Tiger on Demand bus... to show the community how the service can work".
A spokesperson for the combined authority said: "We will be reviewing the impact of the route change on punctuality and gathering further feedback from passengers to assess next steps."It added the new Tiger 7 service was due to launch within weeks, linking Manea with Chatteris, Wisbech, and Manea rail station. Stagecoach has been approached for comment.
Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
6 days ago
- Glasgow Times
UK's most hazardous building still leaking radioactive water, MPs warn
In a report published on Wednesday, the Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) criticised the speed of decommissioning work at the former nuclear power plant, citing examples of 'failure, cost overruns and continuing safety concerns'. Although the committee noted there were 'signs of improvement', PAC chairman Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said Sellafield continued to present 'intolerable risks'. Sellafield was described as 'the most hazardous building in the UK' (Peter Byrne/PA) He said: 'As with the fight against climate change, the sheer scale of the hundred-year timeframe of the decommissioning project makes it hard to grasp the immediacy of safety hazards and cost overruns that delays can have. 'Every day at Sellafield is a race against time to complete works before buildings reach the end of their life. Our report contains too many signs that this is a race that Sellafield risks losing.' The PAC said those risks were underlined by the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS), which the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) described to the committee as 'the most hazardous building in the UK'. The MSSS has been leaking radioactive water into the ground since 2018, releasing enough water to fill an Olympic swimming pool every three years, and is likely to continue leaking until the oldest section of the building has been emptied in the 2050s, around a decade later than previously expected. Pointing to the fact that Sellafield Ltd had missed most of its annual targets for retrieving waste from buildings, including the MSSS, the committee warned: 'The consequence of this underperformance is that the buildings are likely to remain extremely hazardous for longer.' The NDA has acknowledged that the leak is its 'single biggest environmental issue', and a spokeswoman said managing it and retrieving waste from the MSSS was 'our highest priority'. Sellafield ceased generating electricity in 2003 (Owen Humphreys/PA) She added: 'As the report says, the leak in the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo is contained and does not pose a risk to the public. Regulators accept that the current plan to tackle the leak is the most effective one.' Sir Geoffrey said: 'It is of vital importance that the Government grasp the daily urgency of the work taking place at Sellafield, and shed any sense of a far-off date of completion for which no-one currently living is responsible. 'Sellafield's risks and challenges are those of the present day. 'There are some early indications of some improvement in Sellafield's delivery, which our report notes. Government must do far more to hold all involved immediately accountable to ensure these do not represent a false dawn, and to better safeguard both the public purse and the public itself.' Sellafield ceased generating electricity in 2003 and, in addition to work cleaning up the site, now processes and stores nuclear waste from power plants around the UK. In the longer term, the Government plans to create an underground geological disposal facility (GDF) to store nuclear waste for the thousands of years it will take to become safe. But the committee said delays in creating the GDF, which is now not expected to be done until the late 2050s, meant more costs for Sellafield as it required more storage facilities. NDA chief executive David Peattie said he welcomed the PAC's scrutiny and would consider how best to address its recommendations. He said: 'We take the findings seriously and the safety of the site and the wellbeing of our people will always be our highest priorities. 'As the committee has noted, Sellafield is the most complex and challenging nuclear site in the UK. We are pleased they recognise improvements in delivering major projects and that we are safely retrieving waste from all four highest hazard facilities. 'With the support of our employees, their representatives, community and stakeholders, we remain committed to driving forward improved performance and continuing to deliver our nationally important mission safely, securely and sustainably.' As well as criticising delays in clean-up operations and calling for an overhaul of how the site functions, the PAC expressed concern that there was a 'sub-optimal culture' at Sellafield. The committee pointed to the 16 non-disclosure agreements signed by Sellafield Ltd in the last 16 years, and called on the NDA to publish information about the prevalence and perception of bullying in its annual report. The NDA spokeswoman said: 'We're committed to an open and respectful culture and we've taken decisive action to enable this, including strengthening our whistleblowing policy. 'Evidence shows the improvements are working and the report acknowledges the improvement in staff survey results over recent years, but we are never complacent and will continue to strive to ensure the NDA group is a place where everyone feels respected and empowered to raise issues, knowing that they will be acted upon appropriately. 'As the report notes, it is one of the conditions of Sellafield's nuclear site licence to have a robust process for reporting safety issues and the independent nuclear regulator has given the site a green rating of compliance.' A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: 'We expect the highest standards of safety and security as former nuclear sites are dismantled, and the regulator is clear that public safety is not compromised at Sellafield. 'We continue to support the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in its oversight of Sellafield, while driving value for money. 'This is underpinned by monthly performance reviews and increased responsibility for overseeing major project performance, enabling more direct scrutiny and intervention. 'We have zero tolerance of bullying, harassment and offensive behaviour in the workplace – we expect Sellafield and the NDA to operate on this basis, investigate allegations and take robust action when needed.'
Daily Record
12-05-2025
- Daily Record
Memory foam garden kneeling pad 'works wonders' on aching knees
If weeding and tending to your garden is leaving you in pain, this durable mat is a 'godsend' Pottering in the garden is something lots of householders have been able to enjoy in the warmer weather. But when it comes to weeding or tending borders, our knees take a beating. Kneeling down to pull weeds or to plant seeds is the only option other than bending over which can put strain on our backs. If you want to make the job more comfortable, you might be wondering whether to invest in a kneeling pad. These simple mats can make a huge difference to kneeling for long periods as it protects your joints, even if you don't normally suffer from knee problems, while you get on with the task in hand There are, of course, plenty of options on the market with varying prices but But one which has been hailed as a 'godsend' is the Taylor & Brown Memory Foam Kneeling Pad. This thick mat is reduced at the moment from £16.99 on Amazon to £14.99. The pad made from thick, high quality memory foam and moulds to your shape while offering support. The outer cover is made from 600D PVC-coated polyester, making it both water-resistant and easy to wipe clean - ideal for use on wet grass or dirty surfaces without worrying about damage or mess, reports The Express. And it folds up which means it can easily be transported to wherever you need to be and weighs just 1.2kg with a built in handle too. Unfolded, the mat, which comes in either grey or green, measures 54cm x 34cm x 5cm size to give plenty of room. When folded, the measurements are 33cm x 26cm x 11cm. This means you have plenty of room to do jobs without having to stand up and move it so often. Another option for gardeners, especially those who like the option to sit and work as well as kneel, is the Strata Padded Garden Kneeler, Seat and Tool Storage for £14 from Argos. The kneeler is made of plastic, weighs 1.18kg and is said to be ideal for sitting and kneeling during gardening. A slightly pricier option is the Ergodyne Proflex 380 Standard Black Foam Kneeling Pad for £29.16 from Safety Gloves. This pad is described as a black standard foam rubber pad for kneeling, is ideal for manual labour professions that strain knees, has dense NBR foam rubber that will not compress over time and improved practicality with water/petroleum-resistant construction. However, the Taylor & Brown pad has a 4.7 out of 5 star rating from a total of 286 reviews on Amazon. One person said it offered great support writing: 'Great kneeling pad. Very thick and versatile. Can double in size when opened but still provides more than adequate support for your knees.' Another reviewer said: 'Great product to help cushion the kneeling down tasks we all have to do in the house and garden. "Thick, comfortable memory foam, a godsend for painful, aching knees when you just have to get down low. I wouldn't be without mine. "I bought this one for a friend, and can recommend this product, even if you don't have knee issues. You can work longer in the kneeling position and in a lot more comfort. "Wipe clean and water resistant. Compact design and a neat little carrying handle which fastens securely. Definitely worth 5 stars.' However, some didn't agree that the pad is all memory foam. One said: 'This is simply thick, dense plastic foam with a thin layer of regular foam top and bottom. It isn't memory foam. It's resilient enough, but if you're expecting real memory foam you'll be disappointed. 'Used once and days later I can still see the kneeling indentations,' said another shopper. 'Pleasantly surprised at how good this is. Purchased it because it was very painful to kneel and do my garden borders. The memory foam works wonders, providing the knee support that I need. Would recommend,' said another shopper. Another added: "So much more comfortable than other kneeling pads." However, for a good price on a handy piece of kit to make gardening easier, the Taylor & Brown Memory Foam Kneeling Pad, here, could be well worth a look.
BBC News
08-04-2025
- BBC News
Jersey fire service has higher number of non fire calls
Jersey's fire service deals with a comparatively larger number of non-fire related emergencies than many counterparts in the UK, according to its service is marking its 75th anniversary this year and chief fire officer, Paul Brown, said it responded to about 1,300 calls a said living on an island, firefighters had to be prepared for anything, including cliff and sea told BBC Jersey the number of fires in homes was above the number responded to by many other services in the UK, and it also dealt with "well above" the number of non-fire emergencies. 'Exceptionally busy' The service has faced challenging incidents in recent years including the gas explosion at Haut du Mont in 2022 in which 10 people died and the aftermath of Storm Ciarán in 2023 which battered the to the storms, Mr Brown said: "We were exceptionally busy with hundreds of calls."You don't want to deploy lots of people into a hazardous environment if you don't have to, equally, people need us."He recalled a tree came down on a fire engine, adding: "Firefighters are remarkable people and they have a remarkable skills set. They are very resilient, very competent." Mr Brown, who has been in post since 2019, said firefighters did a lot of work on education, fire prevention and law enforcement and "need to adapt and reflect that the hazards around us change."Crews are also regularly facing the challenge of furze fires in dry summers when the wind is strong."They are very resource intensive," said Mr Brown."Fires will spread at the speed of the wind or near to it."He urged people to reduce risks at home by using the service's home fire safety checker and only buying products from reputable suppliers."You can't eliminate risk but you can take it down to the lowest level," he said.
