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News from before December 1996

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[archive index] Fen Line announcement due today - (22/11/96)

An announcement is due today about who has been awarded the franchise to run rail services between King's Lynn and London.

A spokesman for the Fenland Users' Association has said he is hoping for the bid by the West Anglia Great Northern Line to be successful. Planned improvements include the purchase of two new trains and better service from Littleport and Ely. Other bids have been made by GB Railways, the Virgin Group and Prism.

- based on information published in the Cambridge Evening News of 20/11/96.

[archive index] Drop-in centre for drug users plan for Newmarket - (22/11/96)

A group concerned about drug and alcohol related problems in Newmarket is doing a feasibilty study on a proposed drop-in centre for drug users in the town even though they say that the town's drug problem is no greater than any town of a similar size.

- based on information published in the Cambridge Evening News of 21/11/96.

[archive index] Poachers profit from mad cow disease - (13/11/96)

A police spokesman has said that poaching has become an increased problem in the area.

Poachers are responding to an increase in demand of venison. They supply the meat to restaurants where it has gained popularity since the beef crisis began.

Reports of poaching have been received from various parts of the county including Fordham.

- based on information published in the Cambridge Evening News of 5/11/96

[archive index] Pollution caused death of hundreds of fish - (13/11/96)

The death of hundreds of fish in the River Cam caused Anglian Water to launch a pollution investigation last weekend.

Milton sewage works was closed for part of Saturday. However the company said that it was an outsider's action that caused a mulfunction at the plant. A spokesman said that it was down to an 'illegal chemical' having bsen put into the sewer system. He said he had a fairly good idea of which company was responsible.

- based on information published in the Cambridge Evening News of 11/11/96

[archive index] Straw burning power plant - (13/11/96)

Ammendments to plans for a straw burning plant to be built at Sutton look set to be turned down. The planned changes in the Norweb Generation project were seen to be of further detriment to the landscape by local parish councils. East Cambridgeshire District Council have voted to recommend that the county council refuse the planned changes to the project.

- based on information published in the Cambridge Evening News of 8/11/96.

[archive index] Ely benefits office may be closed down - (13/11/96)

A press officer for the Benefits Agency has said that a consultation exercise has been carried out which will determine the fate of their Ely office.

The chance of the office closing has been noted with concern by local councillors and the Citizens' Advice Bureau. People wishing to speak in person with a benefits advisor will have to travel to Cambridge in future if the office closes.

The closure could happen as early as December.

- Based on information in the Cambridge Evening News of 13/11/96.

[archive index] Fears over proposed landfill site at Sutton - (13/11/96)

Strong protests have arisen over a plan to fill a disused clay quarry near Sutton with household and industrial waste.

Among the objections were fears that chemicals could spill out and pollute the Ouse Washes, a designated site of special scientific Interest (SSSI).

East Waste, the company behind the plan said the need for the tip was 'not imminent' but that preparation had to be started years in advance of it being used.

- based on information published in the Soham Advertiser of 7/11/96.

[archive index] Bid to save Soham's wildlife - (11/11/96)

East Fen, Qua Fen and Angle Common have been described as containing important wildlife which needs conservation. A recent survey by Cambridgeshire Wildlife Trust identified plants there that have been put under pressure throughout the country by use of artificial fertilisers, over grazing or ploughing.

A conservation officer for the trust was quoted in the Ely Weekly News as saying, 'I think Soham is exceptional in Cambridgeshire. It has large expanses of wonderful common land.

'The traditionally managed grass land has retained a wealth of wild flowers which are seldom seen these days, such as cowslips, cuckoo flower and quaking grass.'

The town council are hoping to find enough money to have a study done on the pond life of the commons.

Both Soham Town Council and the trust are working to secure the future of the commons.

[archive index] Cycle paths urgently needed - (1/11/96)

There is no logic in the lack of commitment local councils have towards cyclists in the Ely area. There are schemes to build some cycle paths on the relatively quiet routes to and from the tiny villages of Little Downham and Queen Adelaide but no plans to build a complete cycle path to East Cambridgeshire's second largest conurbation - a route almost certainly more frequently used by cyclists, i.e. to Soham. Unfortunately this route is also heavily used by juggernauts and extremely narrow in places. These facts - along with the terrible provision of public transport and the probability that many more people would choose to cycle if it weren't for the certainty of having multiple close shaves with articulated transport on any one trip beg for the provision of a cycle path that extends the whole distance between town and city. Such a cycle path would be a major bonus for both Ely and Soham and could also attract tourists.

One Ely man told ECOLN that he used to cycle to and from Soham every day to go to school in the 1950's. He said that there is no way he would let a child cycle on that stretch of the A142 now in the state that it's in. Another person told ECOLN that the motorists and HGV drivers generally try to give cyclists plenty of room as they pass - however the stream of traffic is usually very fast and is often forced to move in close to the curb very suddenly at points where the road narrows and traffic is coming in the opposite direction.

[archive index] Work related deaths - (1/11/96)

Work related deaths in the area have doubled in the last year.

There were 14 deaths due to industrial accidents in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire last year as compared with six the year before.

- information from 'The Cambridge Evening News' of 26/10/96

[archive index] Gypsy must move off her own land - (1/11/96)

A 31 year old mother of three has been told by the European Court of Human Rights that she can no longer live in a caravan on a plot of her own land in Willingham. The woman had been fighting for planning permission from the district council since 1991 in order to be allowed to carry on living on the plot. She has said she plans to take her fight to the Court of Appeal.

[archive index] More should be done about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - (1/11/96)

A recent report by leading doctors has said that more should be done to help people with CFS. According to the report, there could be up to 10,000 people suffering from the disease in Mid-Anglia - implying considerable social and economic costs.

The report 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Knowledge-Based Approach - is available from the Royal College of Physicians, St Andrew's Place, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4LE, price Ł10.'

- information from the 'Cambridge Evening News' 4/10/96.

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