Bassic - your thoughtfull posts deserve a measured reply.

Kim Howells is MP for Pontypridd, an adjoining constituency to Caerphilly. He has the repute of being a good constituency MP, ie he finds the time to deal with constituents problems and is effective this despite the time consuming role as a minister.

The items I quoted in my post of the 25th refer to his activities as a minister for transport.

KH's failings may well be that he, like most South Waleians, does not call a spade an agricultural implement, he calls it a ****** shovell.

Now his reported comments on "Sommerset Folk singers" may have outraged some, but most people in South Wales knew what we think he meant. ie That the Licencing Bill had no contol over the quality of the entertainment proposed.

Would there have been the same outcry on the Mudcat if it had ben phrased differently ?

Again - on the reported comments regarding "train spotters", read the full report. This was not an attack on us "Anoraks" It was, and quite correctly, a warning that transport policy can not be driven by "railway enthusiasts" only. I am afraid that some schemes for railway reopening can not be made in any objective case.

For an example recently, myself and others have had a run in in the local press by an attempt by the South Wales Green party to derail the construction of the long awaited Upper Rhymney Valley Access road (The Bargoed Bypass)

The greens alternative, double the rail service to a train every 15 minutes, and put cycle racks in the town center. Hmmm! Bargoed, Aberbargoed and Gilfach are typical Upper Valleys towns. Spread along the Rhymney Valley, and up the Valley sides. Hight ranging from 130 meters at the river to around 265 meters at the valley top. Gradients as steep as one in 5. Cycle racks ??? I can just see the elderly population strapping thier zimmer frames to the carriers on the bikes and toddling on uphill.

This ignores the fact that of neccesity the stations at Gilfach and Bargoed have to be situated near the railway, at the valley bottom.

All that doubling the xisting frequency will do is make it marginally easier to shop in Carphilly or Cardiff. Assumning that the restricted location at Cardiff will take many more paths between Central Station, and Queen St junction.

Ordenance map sheet 166 covers the area. Ref ST154990 will find the general location.

Unfortunately reopened railway lines cut no ice with industrial, or commercial developemnt. Jobs follow good roads. The Bargoed Bypass will mainly follow the track bed of the long closed Brecon and Merthyr main line to Newport. You may argue that this line should never have been closed, I agree - but it's done and much of the trackbed elsewhere built on or over, or otherwise destroyed.

You can see what Kim Howells was getting at, because yes, there are mumerings about rebuilding the Brecon, Merthyr and Newport line, but cost and utilisation do make this a non starter.

And that is why I will defend him.

Gareth