FRIENDS OF LONG ROCK MEXICO CROSSING

https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/friendsoflongrockmexicocrossing/388829381211332

Bad news: Cornwall Council has decided to close the crossing permanently.
This is not the end, we have a strong chance of winning as there should be a Public Inquiry under an inspector who is not part of Cornwall Council and who will listen to our case. To ensure that there is a full inquiry, enough letters of objection must be received by Cornwall Council before 13 September.

Please send a letter objecting to the closure to arrive by 13 Sep.

Your letter should go to: The Public Path Orders Officer Countryside Service Cornwall Council Carrick House Pydar Street Truro TR1 1EB

If you also leave a copy in the village shop it will help us.

For help with your letter or more information, call in to:

The Mexico Crossing Drop-in

10am 3pm Saturday 24th Aug Long Rock Memorial Institute
Drop-in any time, bring anyone and some snacks, hear the news, have a chat, get your letter sorted!
The decision was made by Peter Marsh, Interim Director of Environment, who has refused to come to a public meeting in Long Rock to explain it. He has written a letter that lists some of the topics he claims to have considered, misses out others and says nothing about how these topics justify his perverse conclusion. He relies heavily on a number of recorded near-misses. The current temporary closure is dangerous and illegal and Cornwall Council has shown incompetence and has persistently failed to be responsive, transparent, open or timely in its handling of this issue. We have made a formal complaint about the way Peter Marsh has handled this.

Your letter:

State that it is an objection to the closure of the Mexico Inn Crossing and give your name and address. That alone is enough to count! But you can do more by giving reasons and asking questions. Any answers to those questions could be very useful. PTO for some notes on this.

Additional bits for your letter: The value of the crossing to you How many years you used it, whether you used it as a child How often you used it and for what How easy it was to use, whether you ever found it dangerous What difference closure has made to your life not going out, using dangerous roads, etc Dangers on the road to Marazion How dangerous it is and especially any near-misses you have had. How you can't see cars coming round the bend How you have nowhere to hide when cars do come How you don't know which side of the road to walk on Problems with the vehicle crossing How inconvenient it is How much extra distance you have to walk How long you have to wait if the gates are down How dangerous and unpleasant it is Peter Marsh / Cornwall Councils letter His claim that in some conditions the train whistles cant be heard His claim that you can't see far enough along the track to spot a train coming in time His claim that vulnerable users, the young, elderly and disabled, are at greater risk on the crossing His claim that although the alternative routes are inconvenient the danger of our crossing is worse His refusal to come to Long Rock to explain how he reached a conclusion that conflicts with every elected representative and the vast majority of the village Ask questions How many near-misses does Cornwall Council estimate do and will occur on the road routes? What is Cornwall Councils evidence that vulnerable users are actually at greater risk? Maybe they or their carers actually take more care than most. What is Cornwall Councils assessment of the risk on the crossing? We know that Network Rails detailed method assesses it as less than one death per 11 million traverses of the crossing. What is Cornwall Councils assessment of the impact on local businesses? You could also send your letter to Andrew George MP, Trewella 18 Mennaye Road, Penzance, TR18 4NG, 01736 360020, Andrew.George.MP@parliament.uk Our local Cornwall Councillor, Roy Mann, Little Chysauster, New Mill, Penzance, TR20 8XA, 01736 351134, rmann@cornwall.gov.uk or roymann@outlook.com Peter Marsh, The Exchange, New County Hall, Truro, TR1 1EA, pmarsh@cornwall.gov.uk The Cornishman newspaper and This is Cornwall website You could post your letters on the Council's Facebook page & The Cornishmans facebook page FOLRMC Chairman, Rob Nance, 28 Godolphin Road, Long Rock, Penzance, TR20 8JP, 01736 710441, 07973 369968, robzrob@hotmail.com If you want to be kept informed by email, please email your name, address and phone number(s) to Rob, or put a note through his door.

FOLRMC 17.08.13