25/04/2014 BBC Oxford News

Good evening. BBC News Channel.

Good evening. An alternative route has bedn

suggested for the controversial High Speed two rail line. Councils in

Buckinghamshire are proposing trains run through a 15`mile tunnel instead

of cutting through the countryside. An ancient landscape, an Arda of

Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Chilterns is one of the most

important environmental are`s in southern England. But in a few

years' time, it could see trains travelling at 250 mph through the

countryside. Part of the controversial high`speed line to

Birmingham and beyond. Camp`igners today launched an alternative.

Second only to the Channel Tunnel, their plan is to go deep

underground. Over 15 miles of tunnels stretching from the M25 in

the south to just south of Aylesbury. It would, supporters say,

save money, time and the environment. There is an alternative

route, it is far better, not only in the immediate sense that it will

minimise disruption, but in the longer term it will have a luch

reduced whole life cost. The revised route would add ?1.

billion to the overall cost of the project, around a 2% rise.

HS2 Limited say a long tunndl has already been looked at and the

current plans are sympathethc. But local politicians want this new

tunnel to be considered. I hope colleagues will look at this

very carefully. If they havd do support the HS2 Bill I hope they

will also support a tunnellhng option for the Chilterns to protect

the environment. The report is published tod`y in the

Westminster centre, they hope MPs will take note ahead of the debate

next week. A woman's been detained in hospital

indefinitely after admitting driving onto a level crossing in

Oxfordshire. Heather Bister, from Banbury, was driving a car that was

hit by a train at the Sandy Lane crossing in Yarton last Novdmber.

The 43`year`old pleaded guilty to endangering safety on the r`ilways

without intent. New pictures have been rele`sed of

the planned ?400 million redevelopment of the Westgate

shopping centre in Oxford. Ht's 25 years since changes were first

talked about. People are now being asked for their views on thd plans

for the new centre. Five firms of architects are working together on

the designs which will be stbmitted for planning permission latdr this

year. A retired couple from Swindon say

the fight to free their son from a foreign jail has cost them `ll their

savings and affected their health. Gerald and Mary Taylor's son Kevin

has been in prison in the Philippines for five years, waiting

for a trial. They say they've spent ?18,000 on legal fees, expenses and

even sending him food. Victoria Cook has been to meet them.

For five years Gerald and M`ry Taylor from Swindon have bedn

battling to free their 48`ydar`old son Kevin from prison in thd

Philippines. He's accused of being involved in illegal immigration and

cheating Filipinos who paid him to help them fill out forms and apply

for visas. Gerald and Mary hnsist he and his partner are innocent. They

wanted to have a fair trial. If he has done what they sax he did,

then I have got to put him on trial, and he has got to take his chances

on whatever sentence he gets. They don't do it this way, this hs not

right. They say the case, which has still

not come to trial, has cost them their savings, nearly ?20,000, and

damaged their health. They say it's driven them, and their son, to

nervous breakdown. I do get depressed. Just sat here

with my hands tied. We feel sometimes we are in prison `s well,

because we can't go anywherd, we can't do anything as such. Like

retired people are supposed to do. The retired couple say they've

received no help from offichal sources, the only help they've had

has been from a charity, Prhsoners Abroad.

The conditions are extremelx harsh. There is a great deal of

overcrowding, between 40 and 60 people in a cell, there is very

little food and water provided. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office

says it's aware of Kevin's `rrest and continue to provide consular

assistance. As yet there is no date set for his trial.

A team of scientists in Oxford have produced a new piece of technology

which is going to help oper`te the largest and most sensitive radio

telescope on earth. It's based in South Africa and will collect

signals from the depths of the universe, possibly from the first

stars and galaxies formed after the Big Bang.

To see the furthest galaxies you need telescopes like this. Hn the

centre a crucial piece of kht. It doesn't look complicated but the

cooling technology in here hs about to help scientists see further into

space than ever before. The dishes sit, in soaring temperatures, in the

middle of the South African desert. It cools the very heart of the radio

telescope. The receiver. Th`t is the bit that receives all the

information from the depths of space.

Once the telescopes are up `nd running, they'll scan space for

sound waves, collecting vast amounts of data. For the 30`year`old Oxford

business behind the unit, it's an business behind the unit, it's an

exciting time. We are able to survive systdms for a

project like this, it is thd next big hadron Collider, starting with

?120 million in the project, we are very proud to be part of it.

Everything we make it we attempt to source locally, we have it

manufactured locally. It is a great thing for the community.

This project has been funded by governments across the world and

it's hoped it'll expand. Evdntually, over the next 15 years, there could

be more than 3,000 dishes g`thering information to tell us more about

what's out there. Alexis is coming up with thd weekend

weather forecast. That's all from us for tonight. From everyone here at

South Today, goodnight. A fairly damp night to come,

outbreaks of rain. It could be heavy and thundery. We will have some

drier conditions, some missdd in places. The rain will skate its way

north and east was tomorrow morning. A brief respite during the liddle

part of the day, before we start to see if you thundery showers arrived

during the afternoon. There will be some sunshine to be had. Pldasantly

warm. A blustery feel, the wind is strong from the south. Stayhng and

settled through Sunday, showers at times. Showers also for Monday and

into next week. Up next is the national weather.

with an outlook. We will have the outlook for the rest of the country.

Goodbye. Good evening. A bit of a

disappointing day. A lot of cloud around and we saw showery outbreaks

of rain. Courtesy of this continental plume which arrived

during the early hours and continues to drift further north. Into the

weekend, this area of low pressure will influence our weather. It is

already arriving bringing gusts of wind is to the Isles of Scilly and

the south-west. Further north, and easterly feed are dragging more

cloud, misty conditions and poor visibility with light rain.

Overnight lows of eight to 10 degrees. A band of persistent rain

through Northern Ireland moving out of Wales and into the North of

England and the south-east means a great, miserable start to Saturday.

But a clearance with sunny spells coming through. All the time that

area of low pressure to the south-west will keep feeding in

plenty of showers here and strong winds as well. I miserable afternoon

in prospect. Head further east and we will keep some sunshine