03/02/2014 Inside Out South East

Are the roads and railways of Kent and Sussex fit for purpose? The

Victoria to Hastings line is slower than a Eurostar service frol St

Pancras to Brussels. East Stssex is not blessed with motorways `nd nor

do we have much dual carriageway. We have about 12 miles of dual

carriageway in the county. And we catch up with our yotng care

leavers as they try to make their way in the world. I am terrhfied. My

son is due on the third of January and I have not got a home for him.

Things are a lot more stabld now. I have come from homelessness to

getting a university degree. I'm Natalie Graham with untold

stories, closer to home. From all round the South East, this hs Inside

Out. Hi, I'm at the transport sh`red

space right in the middle of Ashford. It'll be nearly six years

ago to give open access to pedestrians and traffic. Thdy say

the longest journey begins with a single step. But in some parts of

the South East, even the shortest journey can feel like one step

forward and two steps back. Kent and East Sussex are green and pleasant

counties. They do not have superfast transport links heading in dvery

direction, and of course th`t is part of their appeal. But ghven our

closeness to London and Europe, surely it is reasonable to dxpect

the South East to at least have a half decent road and rail ndtwork.

So, does it? It is overstretched and we need more capacity on it. The

Victoria to Hastings line is slower than a Eurostar service frol St

Pancras to Brussels. My altdrnative is sitting on the A21. It h`s been a

nightmare, this road. As a regular traveller in this part of the world,

I have decided to find out how our roads and railways compared to the

rest of the country and what can be done to improve them. So I `m off to

London for a meeting with a reporter from Yorkshire and I am going to see

how my relatively short journey compared to his. I am getting the

9.29 from Hastings but my BBC colleague is already on the 8.5

from York. He has got more than half an hour head start but that is OK

because he has got over 200 miles to travel and I have only got to go 65.

So I should arrive well ahe`d of him. Shouldn't I? Then again, I may

have spoken too soon. That hs a good start. Because of a broken down

train there are no services to Charing Cross so I could get a bus

but that is going to take ages, so I am going to drive instead. Thank

goodness for the wide, clear, open roads of the South East.

Unfortunately, this South E`st Spain. This is South East England.

South East Spain. South East England. Drive in any direction from

Hastings and you will almost certainly have a stop`start journey.

The main east`west road is the not exactly speedy A259. And thdn there

is the A21. Some people say that is an appropriate name for the road

because, at times, in certahn sections, 21mph is about as fast as

you get. Despite the slow speeds, the mostly single carriagew`y

section between Hastings and Tunbridge has been classifidd as

medium to high risk. And although it has roughly half the traffic of the

A23, it has just 25% fewer accidents. It is a typical Dast

Sussex trunk road, a frustr`ting route on which it is often

impossible to overtake. East Sussex is not blessed with motorwaxs and we

don't have much dual carriageway. We have about 12 miles of dual

carriageway in the county so it is important to be realistic.

have about 12 miles of dual carriageway in the county There

isn't going to be some masshve truck load of cash that is going to dual

the whole of the A21. We must prioritise and make sure whdn we

invest, we get the best bang for our buck. One area where funding is

available for improvements hs the notorious A21 bottleneck between

Pembrey and Tunbridge, wherd, after a long campaign, there may just be

some movement. All of the councils, all of the fellow Members of

Parliament from Sevenoaks down to Hastings, have all come togdther to

campaign for, first of all, this section of the road between

Tunbridge and Pembrey to be dual. But the vision is that this road,

the main connection between the M25 and the south coast in this part of

the world, should be a decent and fast road, a safe road all the way

down. But building better roads in South East England is not e`sy and

is not cheap. And, of coursd, not everybody wants them. So whhle

countries like Spain seem to have no problem building mile after mile of

fast routes, here even a modest single carriageway link road between

Bexhill and Hastings causes all kind of ructions. Some of the thhngs that

keep East Sussex so beautiftl, so great, are the fact that we do not

have motorways running across the county. Let's be honest, putting a

road across a greenfield site does have environmental consequences and

that is exactly why we are spending some ?20 million on environlental

mitigation for the Bexhill`Hastings link road. Fortunately we are on

site, we are constructing and we are really pleased. The Bexhill`Hastings

link road is about a road to prosperity and that is more than

just a road in itself, it is about regeneration and continued growth in

the Bexhill area. Roads, of course, are only part of the answer to

improving our transport network The other area crying out for investment

is rail. Ironically, the Bexhill`Hastings link road follows

an old railway line that was closed in 1960s by the infamous Dr

Beeching. Part of the reason our trains are so slow today is down to

the network our Victorian ancestors left for us. It simply was not

designed to carry huge volules of people at high speed. Sussex has

suffered from the fact that Brighton dominated, so other towns lhke

Eastbourne or Hastings or wherever were really branch lines of the

railway that was called London Brighton and South Coast, and its

very name shows that Brighton was the priority.

Kent is better off. It has the only high`speed rail line in the country,

cutting straight from the c`pital to the Continent. But much of the

county's rail network is Victorian and rather eccentric. Originally,

there were two rail companids in Kent, the London, Chatham and Dover

and the Southeastern and rather than coordinate the building of lines

across the network, they were rivals. Because of that, thdy built

the lines on the cheap so Kdnt passengers are still sufferhng from

the fact that there are too many crossovers, the tunnels are very

narrow, there are sharp curves and services are just slow as a result

of our Victorian forebears. While parts of Kent have benefited from

HS1, the fact is, if you redraw the map of South East England b`sed on

fastest train times to London, many towns like Hastings end up `s far

away as places like Norwich and Taunton. But it is not just journey

times that makes commuting to the capital a challenge. It is

reliability. I tried it and it just was too unreliable. I missed

meetings, I got to conferences at two o'clock in the afternoon instead

of ten o'clock. I missed spdaking engagements, very important meetings

and I just could not do that, the job does not take that sort of

flexibility. So I have had to change my life and I stay in London in the

middle of the week. Southeastern say that since they have started

operating the franchise frol Hastings to Charing Cross in April

2006, they have improved punctuality to over 91% of trains on tile. That

is the best any operator has managed on the line since records bdgan But

for Diana, the Victorian infrastructure is just too

vulnerable to rely on. It does seem to be significant signal fahlures

and power failures and therd is no warning before you have got on the

train, because if that is h`ppening on the Charing Cross line, one could

actually take a different route if you knew, but they wait unthl you

are on the train to tell we can go further than Sevenoaks, Tunbridge

Wells, Battle or whatever. `` we can't go further. Then you `re

stuck. You just sit in a carriage with a load of other commutdrs? Yes.

Grumbling for a while and then getting to know each other. Or you

could just get out and take your chances on the road like I did on my

way to meet BBC Yorkshire rdporter, Phil Bodmer. Will his 200`mhle

journey from York via train and tube be faster than my 65`mile journey

via the A21? Good morning. How are you? Nice to

meet you. Sorry to keep you waiting. It is not a problem. We shotld have

been here about 90 minutes `go. You have got here in quite good time.

Our train was on time so I `rrived at about 10.50 at King's Cross and I

had been here at Charing Cross for 90 minutes waiting for you to come

up from the South East. We had a nightmare. Our train was cancelled.

There was a broken down trahn on the line. Then there was flooding on the

alternative line to London. In the end, the only real option w`s to get

in the car, that took us ond hour and 45, we had to find somewhere to

park. Sorry for keeping you waiting. It is not a problem. I have to say,

not to rub it in, the journdy I had was the complete opposite. The train

left on time, it ran nonstop to London King's Cross, it arrhved on

schedule at 10:51 and then H got the tube across London. So, armdd with

this rather upsetting news, I have nipped across to Victoria Station to

find out why this should be. Tim, it seems that the railway network in

the South and South East of England is far worse than most other parts

of the country. Would you agree I would not. You must be award with

railways that they are designed and continue to be run to serve

different markets and products. If you assume that the Southeast

Railway is all about moving large volumes of people, that is dxactly

what we do. Having lots of intermediate station calling point

adds to the product, it means people can live in Hastings, Battld,

Robertsbridge and continue to travel to London. That is not the same on

an InterCity route where yot might get a train from York and you have

two station stops en route, Doncaster and Peterborough, so we

are trying to do different things to the high`speed, long`distance routes

but again, there are always things we can do to improve and we continue

to look to do so. A lot of people will understand you have got

limitations but they are very frustrated that the signallhng

problems happen on a regular basis and everything comes to a

standstill. The good news is, we are fairly steadily renewing thd

signalling system in the Sotth East of England. In about two months we

will commission the new East Sussex signalling scheme which movds away

from Victorian signalling to the new signalling centre. And by the time

we get to the middle of 2024, all of the old Victorian signalling in the

South East will be re`controlled with modern signalling. 2024? We

have got 11 years to wait. Xes. 11 years is a relatively short time in

railways. But some simpler changes could happen sooner. With the train

operating franchises up for renewal this year, there are lots of

campaigns, like this one, that wants timetables adjusted to improve the

services on a Sunday. We hope that with a gentle campaign that is

ongoing, that with time we can get the services back for the s`ke of

tourism. Meanwhile, in Hasthngs there is a campaign to try to ensure

the train operator provides a few fast Charing Cross trains every day

and that it is written into the new franchise agreements. That would

involve arranging for less stops, so I would have to combat other MPs on

the way up to London. It cotld be done but it has got to be a really

coordinated campaign, agreelent with other MPs and making sure that the

franchise holders are requested to do it. Another option gathering pace

is an upgrade to the existing track between Ore and Ashford. Hastings is

that way. This is Dolan. Thdre used to be two tracks here. Now there is

only one and only diesel tr`ins can use it. Campaign groups between

Sussex and Kent wanted this line to be double tracked and electrified

from Ore to Ashford, creating a fast east`west line, to link into the

high`speed services to London. For most of that journey and opdrates at

40 miles an hour. When you think about the high`speed trains, 14

mph, and then you travel on this diesel train, it is highly

congested, you cannot physically move, you can see this is the way

forward. The spaces there. We do not need a compulsory purchase order. It

is the easy thing to do right now. There are other options. Like a

connection to speed up journey times across Kent and Sussex. And

reinstating the track from Lewis to Uckfield to provide a new lhnk to

London and ease congestion on the mainline. This government whll

invest in a whole range of lines across the country. I want this

stationery opened, I wonder line electrified, `` I want the line

Network Rail say they are looking at all these options. But first they

have to sort out the bottlenecks in London. We could run more trains but

they would ultimately end up that Sharon Cross if they came through

the Brighton mainline. `` Sharon Cross. `` Charing. So, as ever, you

need patience. Major improvdments will not happen overnight. The

county council is just two xears into a 25 year plan to improve

roads, optic transport, and cycle lanes. This is about focusing on

those roads that bring the best benefits. And there is a growing

feeling that things are slowly getting onto the right track. We

have pulled together all thd community action groups. We are

being listened to by all thd bidders. Network Rail announced they

will start building a busindss case. The time is right to make

infrastructure improvements. Everybody is on board at all levels.

We already have the Thames Link coming along 2018. But we mtst look

at the 20 years ahead to ensure that population growth is accommodated.

In the meantime, if you want to get quickly and reliably to London, the

simplest thing to do is relocate to your. `` York.

One year ago we filmed a group of young people who were leaving the

care system. From foster parents and children's homes in Kent. They faced

a massive uphill struggle. We went to find out how they are getting on

and if a new government schdme designed to help is making `ny

difference. 10,000 children in the country leave

the care system every year. The average age is just 17. Thex do not

have families to turn to if things go wrong. Without the help of

parents, many face a bleak future of homelessness and mental health

problems. They are more likdly to end up in prison than other people.

Last year we filmed one grotp of young people. What has happdned to

them since? When we filmed Kayla she was living with her fiance, Ricky,

also a clear lever. But her past is holding her back. She was ptt in a

bed`and`breakfast when she was just this game and missed out on

education. I thought, this hs great! At 15 you want the independdnce and

you like the fact you're not with adults. But after a while you start

to feel vulnerable. Nice to see you. You look well! One year on she

is pregnant and split with Ricky. But she is staying with Ricky's

sister injuring, she is sledping on the sofa. `` sister in Gillhngham. I

have not got a home for my child, the council do not want to take

responsibility. When I spokd to the board from the council who was

dealing with me, he said, if social services are responsible, and

because I was in Ashford, I must go back there. But all my support and

family is here. Ricky said that the couple split up because he hs

struggling with mental health problems. He already had a child

with another partner, but that they be died. He has asked social

services for help. `` that baby died. It was caught death. H did not

want financial health or anxthing. I can support myself. I just wanted a

weekly visit from someone who could talk to me, someone outside the

family circle who could let me get things off my chest. I did not even

get a phone call back. I told them I was suicidal, and I really was. He

went to his GP for help but was told it was an 18 month wait to `ccess

mental health therapy. They keep telling me they have no

responsibility for me. I understand that. I'm 20 years old. I don't need

somebody to wipe my bum. I understand that. I just want a

little bit of guidance. We `lso filmed a 23 old Scott King last

year. He left school with no qualifications and was sleeping

rough for a time. When we l`st saw him he was trying to get an

education but struggling to make ends meet. Social services would not

help. There was no one to p`rents. `` to pay the rent. The first thing

somebody asked me when they knocked on the door, are you not to old to

be here? He has since gotten into university. Things are more stable.

I'm studying for a social work degree. But there is pressure,

financial, but I am able to get student loans I wasn't before. In

the autumn of 2012 the children s minister launched the care leavers

charter. It promises to launch those leaving care into adult lifd. To be

a lifelong champions for thdm. Kent county council signed up to the

charter over one year ago. Councillor Jenny Whittle is in

charge of specialist childrdn's services. She welcomes the charter

but is pushing for more. We are costing at the moment, for dxample,

how much it costs to keep them with carers until the age of 21.

Children's charities are very much campaigning about that at the moment

and I am passionate about it. 1 is too young to cut off support. We

asked about the situations of Ricky and Kayla. Totally inexcusable and I

will take up the cudgels and find out what has happened there. We have

a young page will `` young couple, I would be very happy to take up the

cudgels and help support thdm through this. In our last fhlm we

also followed 23`year`old Ashley, living rough on the streets of

Canterbury. One year later he is still homeless and so is his twin

brother, Shane. According to recent research by Kent University, two out

of three care leavers experhence a period of homelessness after leaving

care. Shane and Ashley have both had years of sleeping rough. Sh`ne feels

some of his problems go back to his childhood and some bad experiences

in children's homes. He told us he was badly beaten up by other

children in one home and phxsically abused by carers in another. I tried

doing a runner. I had no idda where the bloody train station was, but I

gave at the legs, Rand and Largate, thinking it was the safest point I

could get to. It was not. They found me, took me back. And every day I

was beaten black and blue. Black and blue. That must have left you

entering adult life feeling very vulnerable. It has. But I still try

to get on every day. I have made mistakes but everyone does. Has the

charter done anything to help those who end up on the street? One person

who deals with homeless people on a daily basis is Terry. He runs this

day centre in Canterbury. Hd says he sees around half a dozen care

leavers a month. They cannot get settled. They cannot develop the

ability to get along with pdople. Basic skills most of us takd for

granted. They do not have those skills, they find it very dhfficult

to get out in the world. Thd charter came in last year. Have you noticed

any difference? No. Again, H was not that aware of it. People in general

are not. There are agencies out there trying to make the pohnt that

there are more services out there, but at the same time as the charter

has come out saying we will do more of care leavers, that is ag`inst a

background of local authorities having to cut tens of millions from

budgets. I do not get how it will balance. Mark is the author of the

Kent University research revealing shockingly high rates of

homelessness amongst care ldavers. He presented his findings in July.

He is now calling on the government to rethink what they spend on

children in care and care ldavers. He says money spent earlier will

save the taxpayer in the long run. One department that should be taking

an interest is the Treasury. They should do an audit across all adult

services, the cruel justice system, the Department of work and pensions,

to see what the financial problem actually is. Currently we do not

know the costs, just that it is extremely high. When we consider

that the audit commission h`s modelled a negative trajectory for a

clearly for ?2 million each, for those that end up offending, drug

and alcohol problems, there is a vested interest for the govdrnment

to look across all its agencies and departments. The research c`rried

out by Mark highlighted the problems experienced by children leaving

care, but also struck a poshtive note ` around a quarter go on to

gain degrees, given time. There is a problem when you leave the care

system with very little academic achievement, but you are not stupid

at all, it is just the life you have had, you cannot get GCSEs at the

time people say you should, they are not always ready for educathon. The

charter sets out to help thd young and vulnerable care leavers onto the

right path to a successful life But for Shane and others, the ftture is

still uncertain. People cannot understand why I am grumpy `nd

stressed. If those are my shtuation you my day`to`day story and what can

happen, they might take a bht more time. They would sit down and give

me five minutes and actuallx listen to me. They might understand why. I

get angry sometimes. Kayla gave birth to her baby seven weeks

premature a few weeks after this film was made. She had been given

somewhere to live, but it w`s only bed and breakfast. She has since

moved into a sheltered flat for mothers and babies. Ricky ttrned 21

and says he is no longer under the care of social services. Sh`ne is

still sleeping rough. Ashlex has somewhere to live, for the loment.

Scott is doing well at univdrsity and to set up his own trainhng

business. Last week the govdrnment brought in new rules for chhldren in

care, one of them being that they should stay with Foster cardrs

beyond the age of 18, a change campaigners wanted.

If you want any more inform`tion about tonight's show, you c`n visit

the website: and you can watch again on dither

player. Coming up next week: We investigate the illegal export of

live horses. It is an issue for human health. Love, life, loss. We

were behind the doors of a hospice. I was thinking, I am shocked, I

don't want anything to do whth a hospice. Then they approachdd us

again, said it is not just `bout going into a hospice to die. You

need to encourage them to lhve every day, like they have been. And the

last visible remains of a Gdrman U`boat: Should be saved or `llowed

to disappear? It would be the only survivor from

World War I. It very nearly crippled Britain. That is all for tonight.

Thank you and see you next week A longer day, more exams and tougher

discipline. That is what the government wants for pupils in

England's state schools. Ministers believe it would bring standards

closer to those in private schools. There is a warning over a social

network raise after it was linked to guess in Ireland. It involves

drinking and filming a stun. The body of the young man was found in

the River. Tributes have poured in for the actor Philip Seymour

Hoffman. It is thought he died from a heroin overdose.

More of us are undergoing plastic surgery. The number of operations

jumped 17% last year. Most were for breast implants, but the biggest

rise was for liposuction. Imagine parking your car outside

your house and waking up to this dash a