MP offers to clean up station
Tuesday 10th March 2009, 2:14PM GMT.
Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski has volunteered to clean up the town’s railway station – and he wants a Government minister to help him organise the operation.
Mr Kawczynski told the Commons last night that there were various “aesthetic problems” at the station, including weeds on the tracks, peeling paint and dirty tracks.
“I would like to clean it up myself during the parliamentary recess. I would like to spend a few days with some volunteers cleaning up the weeds and doing a bit of painting, but with all the health and safety legislation now in place, it seems quite difficult to organise,” he said.
Mr Kawczynski asked public transport minister Paul Clark if he could help him organise a clean-up and join him in the exercise.
“We could both paint a few peeling walls,” he suggested.
The Shropshire MP said there was confusion and misinformation about who was responsible for maintaining the station structure and its surrounds – whether it was Network Rail or the train operating companies.
“I urge the minister to bang a few heads together so that there is clear accountability as to who is responsible for maintaining and painting bridges and other structures at railway stations,” he said.
Mr Kawczynski said Shrewsbury railway station was important because it was the first thing that many tourists saw on arrival in the county town
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good man
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Just another publicity stunt ! How is this going to help the majority of people in Shrewsbury & Atcham ? Maybe he could spend his time talking to the banks !!
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Why does it need volunteers to do this work, can Daniel and the team come and weed my drive once they’ve finished with the tracks. I know why dont they increase rail tickets? then that will easily cover the cost of keeping the statio tidy….oh hang they have already increased the tickets! mmmmmm!
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when are the elections………. getting some experience in daniel ready for when you’ve gone and left us in peace??/
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Oh what a circus, oh what a show.
The quite disgraceful way in which the good, dedicated and grossly overwork staff in Shrewsbury’s heath services and schools are being treated, and law & order in the town in tatters, and the best that Kawczynski can come up with is a Bob’a'Job Week at the railway station. These frankly stupid comments from someone who I am told is proving to be an embarrassment at Westminster are beyond belief.
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Why doesn’t Mr Kawczynski give up on these endless publicity stunts and photo-opportunities
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“but with all the health and safety legislation now in place, it seems quite difficult to organise,” he said.
You mean that people aren’t allowed to walk on tracks when trains are running? Must be those elf and safety nazis again. No wonder the country is going to the dogs.
“I urge the minister to bang a few heads together so that there is clear accountability as to who is responsible for maintaining and painting bridges and other structures at railway stations,” he said.
This from the representative of a party that split one organisation (British Rail) into dozens of operating companies, maintenance companies, renewal companies, rolling stock companies and the rest.
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How reassuring, at a time when so many people are losing their jobs and homes, to see that the Rt Hon Mr Kawczynski is more interested in spending his days weeding and cleaning “dirty railway tracks” at Shrewsbury Station rather than representing and supporting his constituents?
I will be eternally grateful that I wasn’t complicit in his election and just hope to goodness that common sense prevails at the next elections.
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Will, he properly isnt volunteering, he is getting paid for it, good luck anyway Daniel and dont forget when you return to the entrance, have your ticket ready for the inspectors, dont think saying your an MP helping to tidy up will work!
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good for him
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good for him
Sorry… forgot to say great post – can’t wait to read your next one!
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“I urge the minister to bang a few heads together so that there is clear accountability as to who is responsible for maintaining and painting bridges and other structures at railway stations,” he said.
Er would that not be the “private” company that runs the station/railways, just a thought.
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assume he will buy a platform ticket and also assume tne nur are happy about him taking their jobs/
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I only hope that Mr Kawczynski has read in this forum just how popular he is amongst Shrewsbury voters. I know for a fact that both Mr & Mrs K regularly read Star Comments because I once touched a nerve which resulted in Mrs Kawczynski responding angrily to what I had said. And if I were to mention that Mr Kawczynski will with this stupid and attention seeking suggestion continue to be considered by someone at Westminster as a ‘problem child’ I suspect I may get another angry response.
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The Elf & Safety Nazis at Network Rail won’t even allow anyone on the tracks when there are no trains running, unless stringent safety systems are in place, by the time all the necessary arrangements have been made it will be too expensive anyway. A former employee of the railway passed away and requested his ashes be sprinkled over the tracks by a work colleague, Railtrack (as it was at the time) wanted an absolute fortune to allow this to happen. The ashes were sprinkled anyway at a later date without them knowing about it.
Good luck Daniel, you will need a lot of it to get onto the line.
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Good for daniel some one who gets down to ACTION and not sit on his backside whinging.
Publicity STUNTS some do not know the diffrance he is working for the people of shrewsbury and atcham with many items he talks about in the press.
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what a waste of time daniel… maybe you could lower fares too or even stop terrorism and cure cancer!
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an mp actually doing some work, now that would be something worth seeing. better take the camera with me.
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Does anyone know that this effort is not in his own time and is therefore worthy voluntary effort?
Not every minute of an MP’s day is paid for out of our taxes you know.
The railway station is a gateway into Shrewsbury yet the weeds and rubbish on the sides of the tracks shame us when we are trying to attract visitors to our town.
Good on you Daniel and anyone else trying to boost visitors and their money into Shrewsbury
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Do we really need so many publicity stunts from this MP?
I would rather he spent his time fighting worthy causes ie Wrekin Construction lack of help from the Government, the appalling mess of our banking system etc
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Give him a broom, mop and bucket and bet he doesnot last half a day?
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cynical people
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With regards to the above post from what we hear and read danil is fighting for local business etc
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If this does come to fruition I bet Mr K will surrounded by his usual local councillor cohorts to get their fizzoggs in the paper, and we all know who they are don’t we?
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this guy is having a laugh, just shows that the tories have nothing else better to do, why dont you fight for local jobs for british people daniel instead of diddy dalling about the wreck of a station who no one cares about because fares are far too high!
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Not before time. I visit Shrewsbury often and find the station dirty. It is unpleasant to sit in the waiting room as it is always full of rubbish and smells. The toilets are ancient. Being a widely used station cleaning up should be a priority.
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