You know what it's like at a footie match. You watch 90 minutes where there are only 2 or 3 explosive moments when goals are scored or someone is sent off and the whole game revolves around those incidents. Well today at the Inquiry was very much like that.
Let's start at kick off. For a start not all the supporters were in their seats. Getting into Brighton today was a nightmare. Bad weather or road works, whatever, even the Falmer crumblies were late. Anyway we started with the continuation of Lewes DC transport witness, Mr Harrison being cross examined this time by "Mumsy" Miss McPherson for the City council. Now to be honest this was not the most exciting part of the day. Mr Harrison had relied on his "judgement" to conclude that in sustainable transport terms (i.e. all you lot walking, cycling or using buses) Toads Hall Valley or Sheepcote Valley were much better than Falmer. He was very certain that railway stations, as at Falmer, were not that important. In any case we would all walk happily from Hove, Aldrington, or Preston Park to Toads Hall or jump on buses or park and walk from Maderia Drive to Sheepcote Valley. Yeah, Yeah we have heard it all before but do any of these “experts” live in the real world of going to a footie match?
So, let’s draw a veil over that part of the day. Next on show was the Transport Expert for Toads Hall Valley. Now regular readers will know that this lot have mucked about good and proper. As I understand, it has been alleged that they have not submitted their evidence in accordance with the Inquiry timetable and then for various reasons, witnesses could not attend when they were due to appear. Anyway today they slipped into their evidence that a stadium at THV would require a footbridge, cost £250,000 and a subway cost £900,000. Wham Bam! Our Jonathan “Let’s be quite clear about this” Clay exploded. Where have these figures come from? They are not in your written evidence, says he. Addressing the Inspector he makes it quite clear that he may ask for an adjournment to consider this new evidence. The Inspector was not happy with THV people. His programme for the rest of the Inquiry was falling apart.
Later the Lewes DC counsel Mr White said that he would not wish to present his concluding arguments tomorrow as planned because of the new evidence. He now wants to present his closing speech in May when the Albion and the City council give theirs. And so it went on. I had to leave before the end so no doubt Lord B will cover any late news.
Will this Inquiry ever end? Every extra day costs the Albion dear. The cynics amongst us might think this is exactly what Falmer, Lewes and others want, to drive us into the ground financially. Perhaps the THV lot are hoping that in the end we will go begging to them for their site as we are so broke.
But be of good cheer. To rely on such desperate tactics suggests that their cases are not strong. Falmer is the only site that makes sense in planning terms. I just hope the Inspector sees it that way too.
Shoreham Gull back tomorrow. Hope he did well at his interview. Now, over to Lord B for the authorised version.
Let's start at kick off. For a start not all the supporters were in their seats. Getting into Brighton today was a nightmare. Bad weather or road works, whatever, even the Falmer crumblies were late. Anyway we started with the continuation of Lewes DC transport witness, Mr Harrison being cross examined this time by "Mumsy" Miss McPherson for the City council. Now to be honest this was not the most exciting part of the day. Mr Harrison had relied on his "judgement" to conclude that in sustainable transport terms (i.e. all you lot walking, cycling or using buses) Toads Hall Valley or Sheepcote Valley were much better than Falmer. He was very certain that railway stations, as at Falmer, were not that important. In any case we would all walk happily from Hove, Aldrington, or Preston Park to Toads Hall or jump on buses or park and walk from Maderia Drive to Sheepcote Valley. Yeah, Yeah we have heard it all before but do any of these “experts” live in the real world of going to a footie match?
So, let’s draw a veil over that part of the day. Next on show was the Transport Expert for Toads Hall Valley. Now regular readers will know that this lot have mucked about good and proper. As I understand, it has been alleged that they have not submitted their evidence in accordance with the Inquiry timetable and then for various reasons, witnesses could not attend when they were due to appear. Anyway today they slipped into their evidence that a stadium at THV would require a footbridge, cost £250,000 and a subway cost £900,000. Wham Bam! Our Jonathan “Let’s be quite clear about this” Clay exploded. Where have these figures come from? They are not in your written evidence, says he. Addressing the Inspector he makes it quite clear that he may ask for an adjournment to consider this new evidence. The Inspector was not happy with THV people. His programme for the rest of the Inquiry was falling apart.
Later the Lewes DC counsel Mr White said that he would not wish to present his concluding arguments tomorrow as planned because of the new evidence. He now wants to present his closing speech in May when the Albion and the City council give theirs. And so it went on. I had to leave before the end so no doubt Lord B will cover any late news.
Will this Inquiry ever end? Every extra day costs the Albion dear. The cynics amongst us might think this is exactly what Falmer, Lewes and others want, to drive us into the ground financially. Perhaps the THV lot are hoping that in the end we will go begging to them for their site as we are so broke.
But be of good cheer. To rely on such desperate tactics suggests that their cases are not strong. Falmer is the only site that makes sense in planning terms. I just hope the Inspector sees it that way too.
Shoreham Gull back tomorrow. Hope he did well at his interview. Now, over to Lord B for the authorised version.
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