Over the last couple of weeks OnTheWight has been running a series of email exchanges between Nick Finney, Isle of Wight Conservative MP Andrew Turner‘s transport advisor, and David Pugh, who is connected with the Keep Island Line in Franchise (KILF) group.
As mentioned before, the Island Line franchise is a complex subject, so we feel that it’s only right that the exchanges are published unedited, so details are not missed out.
Here’s the eight, ninth and tenth exchange. The email stream starts with one from Nick Finney in response to David Pugh‘s earlier email.
The niceties of salutations seem to have disappeared.
Nicholas Finney wrote:
Oh dear David. I think that you are the hysterical one and as usual choose only those points which bolster your own perception. Everyone is getting tired of your obsessive, bullying and sneering tactics. Read what I have posted on County press on line. And let’s all wait for the crucial meeting of the Council with the DfT on Sept 7th.
Andrew Turner is ten times the person that you will ever be and his judgement is his own. In my experience he has always put the. island first and will continue to do so irrespective of your views or indeed mine. I’m just a bit freer than he is to expose you for what you are – a failed young politician who needs to learn a great deal more about the society he lives in than you do.
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David Pugh wrote:
What a charmer you are!
We’re delighted that facts are on our side. Don’t forget to read that Stagecoach Annual Report again and I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.
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Nicholas Finney wrote:
What facts? Use your intelligence and understand what is now necessary. Local communities having Inefficient and loss making rail lines must make the effort to improve ridership and efficiency.
The island line is at the end of its natural life. It needs to modernise and change to reflect the needs of the whole Island. Andrew understands that. His proposals are a proper lifeline to the future. Communities need to take more responsibility for the services that are currently underperforming.
There is no fairy godmother available. I think that the true opposition to whom you have now unwisely attached yourself to have called you “Boy Blunder”. As leader of the council you removed 40,000 pounds from support for the Island Line. And your plans for Ryde Esplanade station cost the ratepayer about 1.2 million pounds which had to be paid back.
I invite you to put your case for probity forward so that others more expert than I can comment. This sudden conversion to the saviour of the Island Line is not bourne out by your performance when you had some control.
