:00:08. > :00:12.Hello, welcome to Look North. In the programme tonight: Winter's
:00:12. > :00:14.sting in the tail - thousands of homes left without power and many
:00:14. > :00:16.roads closed as April blizzards sweep the region.
:00:16. > :00:19.Network Rail fined �4 million for health and safety breaches which
:00:19. > :00:22.caused the fatal Grayrigg train crash.
:00:22. > :00:30.Enough is enough - councillors are urged to call a halt to windfarm
:00:30. > :00:34.approvals in Northumberland. Impaled on a parking barrier - this
:00:34. > :00:37.lorry driver survived to see the company responsible in court today.
:00:37. > :00:40.In sport, the rowers putting themselves in with a great shout of
:00:40. > :00:50.making our Olympics squad. In the tough economic climate, how
:00:50. > :00:58.
:00:58. > :01:01.our racecourses are coping, come The snow was expected. The power
:01:01. > :01:05.cuts weren't. Blizzards driven by strengthening winds closed many of
:01:05. > :01:08.our higher routes overnight. Motorists were stranded in their
:01:08. > :01:10.cars, some overnight. Drifts reached seven feet deep in places.
:01:10. > :01:15.Up to 40,000 homes were left without electricity as ice brought
:01:15. > :01:25.down power lines. Thousands of those homes are still cut off. Our
:01:25. > :01:25.
:01:25. > :01:32.reporter Steph Lloyd joins us now from Leadgate near Consett.
:01:32. > :01:38.In the past few minutes Para has been restored to discreet. We have
:01:38. > :01:48.got a electricity back on in the shops, the takeaway and in the
:01:48. > :01:48.
:01:48. > :01:52.homes. 4000 homes in that concept area are still without power. We
:01:52. > :01:57.have been in County Durham all day assessing how the county has borne
:01:57. > :02:03.the brunt of the cold snap. Add beautiful winter Wonderland, but
:02:03. > :02:10.the severe weather has caused power cuts and disruption. County Durham
:02:10. > :02:16.seems to have been worst affected. Kevin digs his car out after
:02:16. > :02:21.getting stranded in a snowdrift. With no hope of getting out, he was
:02:21. > :02:27.forced to spend the night in his car. I ended up spending the night
:02:27. > :02:31.here, pitting the heater on every hour. They got a friend to come
:02:31. > :02:38.back up and help me out this morning. It is taken over and hour
:02:38. > :02:44.to get out. I wouldn't have wanted this week in the car all night,
:02:44. > :02:49.especially appear. I am freezing now. One farmer work from 4am to
:02:49. > :02:58.help clear the snow and free stranded cars. Since 4 o'clock this
:02:58. > :03:04.morning pulling cars out, plying the road out for the police.
:03:04. > :03:08.severe weather has also disrupted Paris surprise. The strong winds, I
:03:08. > :03:14.sense snow brought down power lines leaving thousands of properties in
:03:14. > :03:19.the dark. We are going to get events like this, and when it does
:03:19. > :03:25.happen we had no communications with the outside world, the afar
:03:25. > :03:32.tees moved towards the more vital thing such as hospitals than we are
:03:32. > :03:36.left to try and survive. We hope to have most customers' accounts a
:03:36. > :03:42.play today. Given the extent of the damage and some of the outlying
:03:42. > :03:48.regions, it might be that some customers go overnight without
:03:48. > :03:53.power. No more significant snowfall is expected, but with the cold snap
:03:53. > :03:57.here for the next day or so, this no one like you for a while.
:03:57. > :04:03.Without electricity it may be another cold night for thousands
:04:03. > :04:08.and County Durham. Whitby in North Yorkshire was also one of the worst
:04:08. > :04:13.affected areas with 12,000 properties without power. Northern
:04:13. > :04:20.Power Grid say that they're all my back on. This time yesterday the
:04:20. > :04:28.weather had really closed in and the Storm extended south to the
:04:28. > :04:31.North York Moors. The line on Sutton Bank showed just how
:04:31. > :04:34.selective this snow storm had been. On the North York Moors anywhere
:04:34. > :04:36.above a few hundred feet and you were struggling with roads blocked,
:04:36. > :04:46.power lines down and everyday working lives practically
:04:46. > :04:46.
:04:47. > :04:56.impossible. I can't get to the sheep. It has caught us out
:04:57. > :04:59.
:04:59. > :05:07.completely. We entered the power go off? A about 11:30pm last night.
:05:07. > :05:14.I has it affected you? We have a little stove and had a cup of tea.
:05:14. > :05:21.As soon as you go up high you gained difficulties. Renting a
:05:21. > :05:27.cottage for Easter must have seemed a good idea at the time. No hot
:05:27. > :05:31.food or hot drinks. We had a bet - dreadful ride in last night. We
:05:31. > :05:37.just about got in before the blizzard. This lot were doing their
:05:37. > :05:43.Duke of Edinburghs. The tent had fallen down. And then there was the
:05:43. > :05:50.campsite at Rosedale. We are fully booked for Easter, so it is going
:05:50. > :05:59.to hit us hard. Going home either this afternoon or tomorrow. You are
:05:59. > :06:02.staying? Yeah so, we are. It might warm up by then. Hogg fully!
:06:02. > :06:12.might all be gone by Sunday and perhaps we'll all look back fondly
:06:12. > :06:21.on the snowy Easter of 2012. So Steph, is there any indication
:06:21. > :06:25.of when all power will be restored? We have just heard the latest
:06:25. > :06:34.figures are the 12,000 properties in the north-east are still without
:06:34. > :06:39.power. The first thing this morning that figure was 40,000. So, a lot
:06:39. > :06:48.of work for ingenious to do. The worst affected areas of those on
:06:48. > :06:56.high grounds. In juniors will try to restore power to those 12,000
:06:56. > :07:01.properties. The messages to wrap up warm tonight as it will take time
:07:01. > :07:05.for the engineers to identify all the faults and get the network back
:07:05. > :07:11.up and running. You can find out the latest on your BBC local radio
:07:11. > :07:14.station and we will have an update on the late news.
:07:14. > :07:20.Margaret Masson lost her life in the Grayrigg derailment in Cumbria
:07:21. > :07:23.five years ago. 86 others were injured. Today Network Rail was
:07:24. > :07:26.fined �4 million for the systemic failures that led to the incident,
:07:27. > :07:30.a record fine for a breach in Health and Safety regulations.
:07:30. > :07:33.Today at Preston Crown Court the judge said she hoped the size of
:07:33. > :07:35.the fine would ensure such an accident would never happen again.
:07:36. > :07:44.But the RMT union said they believed rail reforms being pushed
:07:44. > :07:49.through right now meant that it could. Here's Jayne Barrett. In
:07:49. > :07:53.February 2007 the train hit faulty points in the line near Grayrigg.
:07:53. > :07:59.Margaret Masson was killed. Network rail was fined �4 million a day,
:07:59. > :08:03.and that - and a record fine. The judge said systemic failures were
:08:03. > :08:07.to blame for this tragic derailments, the same failures that
:08:08. > :08:14.have been to blame for the Potters Bar to real money. The company was
:08:14. > :08:18.not only guilty, but had relevance previous convictions. Margaret
:08:18. > :08:23.Masson's granddaughter said that because network rail was funded the
:08:23. > :08:31.fine would be borne by a tax payers. What would you have like to have
:08:31. > :08:36.happened? I don't know. She should still be here. This is the only man
:08:36. > :08:41.to have lost his job, David Lewis failed to carry out the crucial
:08:41. > :08:49.safety check, but the family has never held him responsible. I am
:08:49. > :08:53.glad it has come to an end. Today the judge accepted that he and his
:08:53. > :09:03.colleagues had my that the training, the tools or at the time to
:09:03. > :09:09.
:09:09. > :09:13.implement necessary safety This man admitted he has raced
:09:13. > :09:21.safety concerned with Network Rail on four occasions since. Is it good
:09:21. > :09:27.enough did you have to step in? it a bomb macro it is our job. It
:09:27. > :09:37.is not good enough and that is why at times we have had to act.
:09:37. > :09:42.
:09:42. > :09:52.real unions protested. In light of funding cuts. This is likely to
:09:52. > :10:05.
:10:05. > :10:07.Lynemouth Windfarm. Right now it's one of just a handful in
:10:07. > :10:10.Northumberland, but the county's map is about to change. These are
:10:10. > :10:14.ones that are currently operating, but then there are the ones already
:10:14. > :10:18.being built, the ones waiting to be built and those that are approved,
:10:18. > :10:28.not to mention many more in the pipeline. Today campaigners asked
:10:28. > :10:29.
:10:29. > :10:33.the council to stop approving them. There is a growing feeling in
:10:33. > :10:38.Northumberland van windfarm developments is rapidly becoming
:10:38. > :10:43.out of control. Now seems the time to have a discussion about this.
:10:43. > :10:49.have spoken in favour of Winter bounce, but they have to be in the
:10:50. > :10:55.right place and they have not to be built in excess. We're now getting
:10:55. > :11:01.too many. It is not the case that Northumberland is being unfairly
:11:01. > :11:07.put upon. Jobs and investment are coming to Northumberland's as a
:11:07. > :11:11.result of its excellent natural resource. It certainly is true to
:11:11. > :11:15.say that wind is big business. Take this new farm in Lynemouth for
:11:15. > :11:19.example. If we take the average amount of wind here, then, as well
:11:19. > :11:28.as money from the power it creates, the company which owns it will earn
:11:28. > :11:35.about �3 million a year in subsidies. That's �60 million over
:11:35. > :11:40.its 20 year lifespan. It's money that comes from our energy bills.
:11:40. > :11:44.When we see fuel poverty at serious the high levels and the county, I'm
:11:44. > :11:47.not sure that we are tackling this correctly and I am not sure that
:11:47. > :11:51.the amount of public money being given to the public operators is
:11:51. > :11:53.the right way to spend their money. They're good at generating millions,
:11:53. > :12:03.whether they're as efficient at generating energy is still open to
:12:03. > :12:08.
:12:08. > :12:10.debate. We have just heard that campaigners have failed today to
:12:10. > :12:20.get a moratorium on any more windfarm approvals in
:12:20. > :12:35.
:12:35. > :12:38.Northumberland. This next report is a report of survival which will
:12:38. > :12:41.amaze you, but, we must warn you, you might find the pictures
:12:41. > :12:44.difficult right from the start. It's the story of Jason Ripley, a
:12:44. > :12:47.driver for a timber yard in Darlington, who was impaled on a
:12:47. > :12:50.car park barrier. The metal barrier came through his cab because the
:12:50. > :12:53.company which installed it had allowed it to swing free Jason
:12:53. > :12:56.drove onto it not even knowing it was there. Today that company was
:12:56. > :12:58.ordered to pay fines and costs totalling more than �15,000 by
:12:58. > :13:00.magistrates in the town. Our Chief Reporter Chris Stewart has the
:13:00. > :13:03.story. The video is astonishing. Conscious throughout, Jason Ripley
:13:03. > :13:06.watches as his rescuers cut through the poll, taking him away with the
:13:06. > :13:09.poll still running through him is the only way they would save his
:13:09. > :13:11.life and all of this because of the car-park barrier. The barrier is in
:13:11. > :13:14.there now, but let's try to show you what happened. The barrier was
:13:14. > :13:17.open so Jason could go through and make his delivery, but while he was
:13:17. > :13:20.making good delivery it swung back and it was pointing straight at him.
:13:20. > :13:25.He didn't even realise it was there. It happened at the Henry Williams
:13:25. > :13:30.engineering plant in Darlington. If the rescuers were amazed at the
:13:30. > :13:34.periphery of Jason, so were his colleagues. Impaled on apple and
:13:34. > :13:39.fearing he was about to die, what did Jason do next? He took out his
:13:39. > :13:44.mobile, rang his office and said I have had a bit of an accident.
:13:44. > :13:48.Those who brought the prop - brought the prosecution said the
:13:48. > :13:54.accident never should have happened. A all they have to do was have
:13:54. > :14:02.another post in the verge to attach be geared to when it was in the
:14:02. > :14:06.open position. BhS he says it is testament to his spirit that not
:14:06. > :14:16.only did he survive, but that he was back at work just two months
:14:16. > :14:29.
:14:29. > :14:32.later. Metal thieves have tried to hack off part of a monument to
:14:32. > :14:35.miners on Wearside just days after it was unveiled. The Washington
:14:35. > :14:38.Miner's Monument, a sculpture of a miner and his family, was opened to
:14:38. > :14:42.the public on Saturday on Front Street. The police say that last
:14:42. > :14:44.night someone tried to saw off the legs of the boy in the statue.
:14:44. > :14:48.is an absolute disgrace. How long has a benumbed four, three or four
:14:48. > :14:50.days? Absolutely disgusting. Coming up next, the pros and cons of
:14:50. > :14:53.driving an electric car in the North East.
:14:53. > :15:03.The city of York prepares for tomorrow's historic Maundy visit by
:15:03. > :15:11.
:15:12. > :15:14.Her Majesty the Queen. Drivers tend to think twice about
:15:14. > :15:16.making unnecessary journeys once they switch to electric cars,
:15:16. > :15:19.according to new research by Newcastle University. And with the
:15:19. > :15:22.sky-high price of conventional fuel, many drivers are already thinking
:15:22. > :15:24.twice about their journeys. So, should more of us be making the
:15:25. > :15:27.switch? In Sunderland, Nissan is gearing up to start producing the
:15:28. > :15:30.electric Leaf next year and the North-East is claimed to be the
:15:30. > :15:33.best-connected region in the country for electric cars. Recently,
:15:33. > :15:35.Nissan allowed our reporter Damian O'Neil to live with a Leaf for a
:15:35. > :15:38.week. Was he persuaded? Here's his Look North Report.
:15:38. > :15:41.It looks like a bog standard Transit van, but it runs on
:15:41. > :15:46.batteries. Gateshead Council have bought 10 of them and they say
:15:46. > :15:51.they're good for the environment and the taxpayer. But they were all
:15:51. > :15:59.bought to replace vehicle that were due to be replaced anyway. We don't
:15:59. > :16:02.pay for any diesel. There is no road tax, maintenance costs are law.
:16:02. > :16:06.They are money-saving for the council. But what about the private
:16:06. > :16:10.buyer? Is an electric car all you really need? Look North drove a
:16:10. > :16:13.Nissan Leaf for a week, to and from home, the shops and out and about
:16:13. > :16:16.reporting the news. First impressions are very good. It feels
:16:16. > :16:23.like something out of Star Trek. But after a few days it became
:16:23. > :16:28.clear that the car's range was cramping our style. Nissan claims a
:16:28. > :16:33.range of a hundred miles, and in our experience we don't get
:16:33. > :16:38.anything you that. At the minute it says 49 miles on the clock, but if
:16:38. > :16:41.I turn on the heating it drops to 43 miles. In the week that the
:16:41. > :16:44.North East experienced freezing rain, we drove the car on a 50 mile
:16:44. > :16:48.round trip to film stranded drivers on the A66. We should have had
:16:48. > :16:51.plenty of power to get there and back but in the event, we needed to
:16:51. > :16:54.top it up twice. It also meant driving home with no heater on.
:16:54. > :17:04.Peugeot make a similar electric car and they admit that the weather can
:17:04. > :17:05.
:17:05. > :17:10.have an impact on performance. is a fact that in cold weather the
:17:10. > :17:15.range is restricted simply because the characteristics of the battery
:17:15. > :17:18.and the heater and the air- conditioning draws power. So, how
:17:18. > :17:21.much does all this cost? For �100 you can join the Charge Your Car
:17:21. > :17:24.network, a growing chain of public charging posts that also grant the
:17:25. > :17:28.user some very handy exclusive parking in busy locations. You can
:17:28. > :17:37.also plug into the mains at home or work. The cars themselves cost
:17:37. > :17:42.upwards of �25,000, but that doesn't tell the whole story.
:17:42. > :17:46.people will look at the total cost of ownership. The cost of running
:17:46. > :17:54.this for 80 miles is about two pounds 50. If you're self-employed,
:17:54. > :17:59.the financial benefits can be very significant. You can offset the
:17:59. > :18:05.whole value of the vehicle against corporation tax, on top of the
:18:05. > :18:12.�5,000 grants. As a company car user, there is no benefit in kind
:18:12. > :18:16.attacks. What is the net cost of this car to you? A over four years,
:18:16. > :18:19.it pays �1,000 a year. The other powerful argument for electric cars
:18:19. > :18:22.is that they produce zero emissions. If you're worried about the
:18:22. > :18:28.environment, a Nissan Leaf will produce 168grams of CO2 per mile,
:18:28. > :18:31.compared to 195 grams for a similar-sized VW Golf Blue Motion.
:18:31. > :18:41.These figures take into account the impact of generating the
:18:41. > :18:50.
:18:50. > :18:56.electricity at the power station. Remember when mobile phones came
:18:56. > :19:01.out? The thing is, they were rubbish. You have to charge them up
:19:01. > :19:05.wanted twice a day. It will be a similar story with electric cars.
:19:05. > :19:15.The manufacturers are committed to them and there will be a lot more
:19:15. > :19:28.
:19:29. > :19:30.on the roads in the future. It is Maundy Thursday tomorrow,
:19:30. > :19:33.traditionally the day the King or Queen of Great Britain hands out
:19:33. > :19:36.specially minted coins to specially chosen people. This year the purses
:19:36. > :19:38.will be distributed at York Minster. Today final preparations were
:19:38. > :19:40.underway for the city's Royal visitor. As Ian White reports.
:19:40. > :19:43.Large teams of specialist officers have spent the day making last-
:19:43. > :19:46.minute security checks to keep the Queen safe. Every been Antrim cover
:19:46. > :19:53.is checked and checked again. Inside preparations have been going
:19:53. > :19:59.on all week. Getting the chairs in the right places is crucial. It is
:19:59. > :20:07.great to have the Queen coming. It is the first time since 1972. The
:20:07. > :20:10.first time she has made a return visit. It is great for the city.
:20:10. > :20:15.is hard to believe that this time tomorrow thousands of people will
:20:15. > :20:21.be lining the streets to see her Majesty. Already the local traders
:20:21. > :20:27.have been out in force decorating the street. It has been a miserable
:20:27. > :20:33.job and today's weather! You look like you're doing a sterling job!
:20:33. > :20:38.Yes, it is cold and wet, but we're all doing our bit. It is absolutely
:20:38. > :20:47.freezing. It might feel like winter outside, but there is some spring
:20:48. > :20:56.inside the mansion house. I can't believe it, really. The Queen will
:20:56. > :21:06.be here, after all this planning. They are spectacular. They smell so
:21:06. > :21:16.spring-like. Would you like to have a go? Into the foam. Push it well
:21:16. > :21:18.
:21:18. > :21:27.in. The yellow, it does make it look like spring sunshine. We know
:21:27. > :21:34.the Queen adores flowers. She does, yes. She will be looking at my
:21:34. > :21:38.flower now. Yes! One City trader has found a Union flag from the
:21:38. > :21:48.second world war. It will be there tomorrow flying high above the
:21:48. > :21:53.
:21:53. > :21:56.well-wishers, whatever the weather. Two North East rowers will make
:21:56. > :21:59.their debuts in the GB team for the opening World Cup event of the
:21:59. > :22:02.season in Belgrade next month. With the Olympics less than four months
:22:02. > :22:03.away, it's good timing for Stockton's Kat Copeland and
:22:03. > :22:06.Darlington's Rachel Gamble-Flint, both former Yarm School pupils.
:22:06. > :22:09.Among others selected in the team are Durham's Jess Eddie and two
:22:09. > :22:12.Olympic medallists Andy Triggs- Hodge, from Hebden Bridge, a gold
:22:12. > :22:22.medallist in Beijing, and Hexham's Matt Wells, who won bronze four
:22:22. > :22:26.
:22:26. > :22:35.years ago. Sunderland have been charged by the FA for a not so
:22:35. > :22:37.controlling their players. Now they're not quite taking on the
:22:38. > :22:40.world, but Newcastle United are very much eyeing a European place
:22:40. > :22:43.still. Most neutrals still think top four and Champions League
:22:43. > :22:46.football next season may be just beyond them, but fifth place would
:22:46. > :22:50.almost certainly guarantee a berth in the Europa League, while
:22:50. > :22:53.finishing sixth might. We are a year ahead of schedule. I didn't
:22:53. > :23:03.expect this to be fighting for those spots at the moment, but we
:23:03. > :23:05.
:23:05. > :23:11.will take the chance if we can. You have got to try and grasp it. Let's
:23:11. > :23:14.grass but with both hands. These are tough times for everyone
:23:14. > :23:16.and inevitably the region's sporting venues have felt the
:23:16. > :23:19.squeeze from the economic downturn. Racecourses say they're coming up
:23:19. > :23:23.with new ideas to keep their heads above water. Well this week, the
:23:23. > :23:31.Look North cameras have been to both Redcar and Sedgefield to look
:23:31. > :23:36.at their efforts to keep the crowds flocking in. Peter Harris reports.
:23:36. > :23:43.Sedgefield on Tuesday. It's not just the economic climate causing
:23:43. > :23:49.trouble. Today is the children's family fun day, but the weather has
:23:49. > :23:53.put that on hold. There are some exotic animals that the children
:23:53. > :23:59.can see indoors! But, like others, this course has learnt how to
:23:59. > :24:04.survive. Extra race days, weddings, car boot sales and charm.
:24:04. > :24:10.beauty of this place, when you walk in the girls are there to say hello,
:24:10. > :24:15.how are you? When the go, they are there to say thank you for coming.
:24:15. > :24:17.It is value for money. I don't think you can go wrong here. This
:24:17. > :24:20.week Sedgefield hosted the Durham National and believes the young
:24:21. > :24:25.horses that come here mean there is quality. 24 hours earlier Redcar
:24:25. > :24:34.got the weather. They too can never compete with York or Ascot, but
:24:34. > :24:39.they can sell the racing experience. It is an area of unemployment and
:24:39. > :24:45.it has hit the north-east hard. We haven't put up our entrance prices
:24:45. > :24:52.for five years. We don't want to stay in our local people. It is
:24:52. > :24:54.quite picturesque. They try here. I think people like that. Redcar aims
:24:54. > :24:57.for new punters - women and families. The courses can't control
:24:57. > :25:07.the weather, but in tough times they believe they still have a
:25:07. > :25:19.
:25:19. > :25:23.R B over these unusual times in the weather? For now, yes. Severe
:25:23. > :25:33.weather is deftly over for a couple of days. Things will return more to
:25:33. > :25:39.
:25:40. > :25:46.normal, feeling more like spring tomorrow. So, tomorrow will be
:25:46. > :25:54.bright but much less windy. Overnight tonight, we are expecting
:25:54. > :25:58.a frost with temperatures as low as -2 Celsius. With the clear skies,
:25:58. > :26:03.it will allowed the temperatures to drop. Some patches of ice were the
:26:03. > :26:08.snow has compacted first thing tomorrow, but generally a fine day
:26:08. > :26:16.to come. Lots of sunshine in the morning. Through the afternoon, we
:26:16. > :26:23.could just see the clouds starting to thicken. The winds and the Dead
:26:23. > :26:27.Butchers much more spring-like, between 7 and 10 Celsius. A little
:26:27. > :26:34.bit of low cloud for North Northumberland with one or two
:26:34. > :26:41.showers here. A fine end to the day with the lighter winds making it
:26:41. > :26:48.feel much more pleasant. So, Monty Thursday ends fine. It'll turn wet
:26:49. > :26:58.as we start of weekend. Good Friday begins with a spell of rain from
:26:59. > :26:59.
:26:59. > :27:05.the West. By the time the Bank Holiday weekend is finished, it is
:27:05. > :27:10.fair to say that the ground will have had a good watering. Saturday
:27:10. > :27:16.looks dry but cloudy. We are expecting more unsettled weather
:27:16. > :27:20.through Easter Sunday, possibly showers in the West and then an
:27:20. > :27:27.Atlantic weather system could bring heavy rain and strong winds on Bank