Passenger should have been aware
Political editor Supplements editor Business editor While I have every sympathy for Mr Dixon (KM October 19) considering the ticket inspector showed no discretion, ultimately he appears to take no personal responsibility for the fact he failed to get off the train when he was required to do so.
I accept the online route planners do offer travelling beyond Barming and then heading back on the up line as a permitted route when necessary, but since the train Mr Dixon was on did stop at Barming I cannot see how he has any grounds for complaint. He should have been aware of where the train was stopping.
If Southeastern had fined Mr Dixon when the train had not stopped at Barming then I would join him in opposing his fine. In this instance, I see only an increase in fares for all to pay for Southeastern dragging Mr Dixon through the courts. Peter Stevens Sandown Road, West Malling What’s On reporter KoL editor adopt a more altruistic approach to the UK, be under no such illusion.
They’ve decided to give the appearance of adopting a softer line because Teresa May is being forced into acceding to their position and stumping up more UK taxpayers’ billions in return for a deal.
The game was up as soon as David Davis admitted that preparing for a no-deal scenario was purely a negotiating tactic; the government wasn’t actually seriously considering it. How the Eurocrats must have begun rubbing their hands, knowing they could offer the UK a poor deal and our government would not only accept it, but pay them more to get it.
Now, even so-called hardline Eurosceptic Liam Fox has pretty much admitted that as soon as the government is made aware of what’s on offer from the EU, it will declare how much more it’s prepared to pay. Conveniently ditched are the words “no deal is better than a bad deal” and KoL news editor KoL assistant news editor no longer any mention of the decision from the Lords that the UK was not under any legal obligation to pay the EU anything for leaving. What a sell-out.
Thankfully (as reported in Kent Messenger recently) more than 50 businesses from all areas of commerce here in Kent are not waiting around for the government to deliver anything for them.
They’re already either getting on with preparing their businesses for a post-Brexit UK, or advising other businesses what they should be doing to be in the best position to take advantage of the freedoms that Brexit will offer them.
Just as well, because despite the fact the immediate post-Brexit years are probably going to be tough, it’s looking more and more as if our government, in pursuit of a deal at any price, is going to leave them (and all other small businesses across the UK) to fend for themselves. Christopher Hudson-Gool Maidstone