ALL NEW CHANGE AT LONDON WATERLOO

A big change is coming to London Waterloo train station as a new ticket gate system will be introduced at all platforms from December 2008.

 

Network Rail in cooperation with South West Trains is installing the new machines to help ensure customers travel with a valid ticket. The new gate line will be the longest in Europe with 148 ticket gates.

 

The new gates have already been trialled at many stations across the network where they have proved to be a success. The introduction of automatic ticket gates will be installed at more stations including Winchester, Salisbury and Haslemere.

 

While speaking to e.motion magazine South West Trains Revenue Protection Manager Adam Piddlington said: “Ticket gates are simply the fairest and most effective way to ensure that everyone is travelling with a valid ticket.”

 

Mark Hawes a passenger who regularly uses Winchester station doesn’t think the gates will be efficient. He said: “The new system will make the station chaotic and the system in place at the moment is working fine. The gates will cause queues as there is only one entrance to each platform. It will cause havoc, especially at rush hour.”

 

Peter Hurst a Network Rail Manager says that the gates can be made to open in the opposite direction if the number of passengers entering or leaving the station increases. “The new gate line should smooth the passenger flow, especially at peak times.”

 

Installations of the new gate line at Winchester and other stations on South West Trains network will begin early next year.

 

 

Man Found Guilty of Hannah Foster Trial

The man accused of murdering 17-year-old Hannah Foster has been found guilty at Winchester Crown Court today.

 

Maninder Pal Singh Kohli, 41 has also been convicted of the kidnap, rape and false imprisonment of the Southampton school girl by jurors. .

 

She was kidnapped while walking home after a night out with friends at a local club a short distance from her home on 14^th March 2003, her body was later discovered two days later in Allington Lane, West End, Southampton.

 

Judge Mr Justice Keith sentenced Kohli to life in prison in which he is to serve a minimum of 24 years. He said Kohli choose his crime because of Hannah’s “vulnerability as a young slip of a girl”; commenting on the emotional damage of the family he said they were put through “unimaginable grief”.

 

Hannah’s parents Hilary and Trevor Foster campaigned for over four years to extradite Kohli from India where he fled after the murder, he was sent back last year to stand trial. As the verdict was read out Hilary and Hannah’s sister Sarah burst into tears consoling each other as justice was finally given.

 

The agony of losing Hannah would be with his family forever said Trevor Foster: “the grief and the pain they’re going to be there until the day we die.”

                            

The jury complied of eight men and four women took only five and half hours to reach the four ominous decisions during the six week trial. Kohli showed no emotion as the verdict was read to the court.