<p>Earlier today, we attended a site visit to the lift works at Biggleswade railway station. This site visit was hosted by Network Rail and apart from members of the Bedfordshire Rail Access Network team, was attended by local Town Councillors, Central Bedfordshire Councillors, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) representatives and our local MP Richard Fuller. Below &hellip; <a href="https://julianvaughan.blog/2025/07/23/biggleswade-lifts-update-23rd-july-2025/" class="more-link"

<p>*This blog, written on 26th June, has been updated on 27th June to comment on the concessions/U-Turn made by the government. Solidarity with the 100-plus Labour MPs who are taking a stand against the government to support the most vulnerable people in our communities. I can confirm that if I were in their position, I &hellip; <a href="https://julianvaughan.blog/2025/06/26/who-is-holding-labours-moral-compass/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-t

<p>A post on why we should all be concerned about the Labour government&#8217;s commitment to an accessible rail network. Below is a list of the 50 stations selected for &#8216;Access for All&#8217; (A4A) funding in May 2024 by the last Conservative government. If we look at the number of stations nominated for &#8216;Access for All&#8217; &hellip; <a href="https://julianvaughan.blog/2025/06/20/which-way-now-for-rail-accessibility-under-labour/" class="more-link">Continue rea

<p>While I have always been to the ‘left’ in politics, I’ve always been prepared to work across political divides for the benefit of local communities and I am in fairly regular contact with a number of Independent Councillors who are both effective and diligent in representing their individual wards. I have no political axe to &hellip; <a href="https://julianvaughan.blog/2025/04/14/the-state-of-independents/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text

<p>The glacial progress of the &#8216;Access for All&#8217; scheme means that at the current rate of progress, the UK rail network won&#8217;t be accessible for around 100 years. This highlights the culture within government and the rail industry, which views accessibility as a favour rather than a fundamental right. Listen to any politician or rail &hellip; <a href="https://julianvaughan.blog/2025/03/28/the-future-for-rail-accessibility/" class="more-link">Continue reading <

<p>I have just come out of a fairly short meeting with Network Rail to discuss the latest progress towards a step-free Biggleswade station. Thankfully It was a short meeting due to no major issues being reported. One previous area of concern was the ground conditions in the area where the lifts are to be located. &hellip; <a href="https://julianvaughan.blog/2025/03/17/biggleswade-lifts-update-17-03-25/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Biggl

<p>Below is an email sent on 27th January to the Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council and the Executive member for Finance and Highways regarding their use of the government&#8217;s cash boost to fix our roads, the intention of which is to reduce their contribution to the Highways budget by the amount of extra funding provided &hellip; <a href="https://julianvaughan.blog/2025/01/27/an-open-letter-to-cbc-re-highways-budget/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="sc

<p>The settlement by the owners of &#8216;The Sun&#8217; to avoid their grubby practices being picked through in court calls into question the truthfulness of evidence given under oath by their senior executives, many of whom are still in positions of power today. The need for a Leveson 2 Inquiry has never been clearer. The print &hellip; <a href="https://julianvaughan.blog/2025/01/24/the-case-for-leveson-2-is-stronger-than-ever/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span clas

<p>Despite many promises over the years, drivers and cyclists in the Central Bedfordshire area will be fully aware of the continuing very poor condition of our roads. Road markings seem to be regarded as an optional extra from a bygone age, and when road defects are reported by the public, via the potentially brilliant but &hellip; <a href="https://julianvaughan.blog/2025/01/22/potholes-in-the-cbc-budget/" class="more-link">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">(P