Nearly 100 people came to the Haltwhistle Church Hall coffee morning today and I got the chance to chat to many of them. Potholes and the state of the pavements in Halty featured very strongly, plus a strong view that we are not getting the attention enough of Morpeth. My campaign for improved cycle paths and making cycling safer generally was strongly supported - normally by mums worried about their kids. But most interesting were the multiple comments about the problems on the late night trains. Everyone agreed there was a problem with people on the trains who were drunk, and occasionally abusive. Several identified the problem that were drinkers banned by the Carlisle pub watch going to Newcastle and then returning home drunk.
We are still gathering evidence but I will be considering the response from the police and BTP when I get back to London next week.
