Thursday 15th April 2010 ~ The Big Debate

I'm sure you will have heard about the big televised election debate this evening. It would seem that none of the main party leaders have ever had the necessity to travel from west to east into Norfolk, the preferred access being via train or the A11 to Norwich as they always come from London.
There has been a long running lobby of support for dualling the remaining gap on the A11 at Elveden and although the present incumbents in Downing Street finally seemed to have succumbed to pressure with the election looming, it has now been announced that the final go ahead has been deferred until after the forthcoming General Election. What a fickle lot our politicians are ? This brings me to the A47 question on which most stretches are still single carriageway and where a proliferation of tractors (punctuated by the inevitable Tesco juggernauts) frequently cause long tailbacks. What chance is there in our lifetimes of seeing this road dualled ? I think we know the answer !
One cannot really blame 'First' for stifling opportunities to speed up the X1 and make it a proper express service while this state of affairs persists. The number of 'through' passengers travelling the route throughout must be miniscule, or possibly non-existant. Anyone finding themselves in Peterborough and needing to get to Lowestoft would surely take the train ? The 08.46 train with (admittedly) a change at Norwich gets you there at 11.33. The 08.35 X1 direct is into Lowestoft at 13.10. No contest.
Today saw further roadworks between Wisbech and Guyhirn to repair the multitude of potholes. Y6 with 37566 was spotted coming into Wisbech on its normal route, just 7 late at 10.27, but Y7 travelled via Wisbech St. Mary and passed Bruce 12 late with 37574. The delays were at their height around lunchtime. 37579 on Y9 was dead on time going west and 27 late returning, despite taking the alternative route. Services from Lowestoft continued to depart Wisbech to time though and 20107 on L12 was actually a minute early departing at 11.47 to Peterborough. Coming back, the nadir was reached by 37156 on L11 which was 32 late passing Bruce, with 'the Beast' in hot pursuit just 10 down. Somewhere beyond this, 107 overtook the B7 and later found itself on L11 with 37156 taking up L12.
20118 continued its new lease of life today and was K3. 37570 was sidelined at Lynn with a recurrence of its old ABS fault - will this prevent it from attending tomorrow's proposed photoshoot I wonder ? Michael Bryant saw 37564 enjoying a day off at Gasworks Road, while B7s 37158/9 remained on King's Lynn locals helping to offset the absence of 30900/1/2 which are all currently off the road.