NEWS
March 2014 | RailStaff | 17
Crossrail Help for Cyclists
Latte Running for Gillingham The latest in a growing series of family-run coffee bars has opened at Gillingham station in Kent.
Crossrail has helped organise a scheme designed to make cyclists more aware of what lorry drivers can and cannot see. Over 850 cyclists took part in the ‘Exchanging Places’ event at the London Bike Show. Organised by the Metropolitan Police, the Exchanging Places idea allows cyclists to see the road from a lorry driver’s point of view. Crossrail requires heavy goods vehicles to be fitted with Fresnel cameras, cyclist detection equipment and side guards. Says Chief Superintendent Sultan Taylor, Safer Transport Command, ‘Exchanging Places is an awardwinning programme which addresses the most common cause of serious injury and death to cyclists - collisions involving a heavy goods vehicle. We’re very grateful to Crossrail and to the London Bike Show for giving us the opportunity to speak to many people and pass on our tips.
Our feedback shows that everyone who took part will recommend our programme to their friends - that’s a great endorsement. I’d encourage anyone who couldn’t make it to the show to watch our YouTube video.’ Almost everyone who got behind the wheel of a heavy goods vehicle at the London Bike Show said that they intend to change the way they cycle, due to the experience. All heavy goods vehicle drivers working for Crossrail must attend a one day training course about vulnerable road users.
Local MP, Rehman Chishti, officially opened the new BeeZoo coffee shop on the station. Originally set up at Maidstone East station and owned by the Zouheir, Bridget and Othman Ktifi family, BeeZoo has been serving commuters good coffee and snacks throughout Kent since 2001. Says Rehman Chishti, ‘It’s fantastic news that BeeZoo cafe has opened at Gillingham station providing commuters, such as myself, with hot drinks, snacks and newspapers for their journey. I welcome the opportunity to visit this excellent company which now has 12 shops across the Southeastern network and I wish them every success in Gillingham.’
(Left to right) Southeastern commercial manager Caroline Wilson, Beezoo director Zouheir Ktifi, and Rehman Chishti MP, celebrate the opening of Beezoo coffee bar at Gillingham station.
it incredibly inspirational to put on a performance in such a unique environment and they were buzzing
afterwards. Thank you to c2c and the National Express Foundation for all your help in making this happen.’
Rail stage for Theatre Drama Thirty young actors, aged between twelve and twenty-five, staged a live show on board a chartered c2c train. Along the Lines, a drama, song and dance show, was written by the cast and is based on scenes and stories from public transport. The show lasted ninety minutes. An invited audience of seventy watched the show as the c2c train sped from Fenchurch Street to Leigh-on-Sea and back. The performance was made possible
by the National Express Foundation which provided a grant of £5,000. The registered charity provides support for students, charities and community groups based in areas where NEG operates. Says Karlos Coleman from Theatre Royal Stratford East, who directed the show, ‘The young people found