03/04/2017 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today, I'm Rob Smith.

Train drivers reject the latest deal to end their bitter dispute over

It's great fun because we're all going to be

I am exasperated by the whole thing really.

We'll bring reaction and analysis from our reporters, live.

Stalked by a killer - the woman who says she wishes she'd

gone to the police when Michael Lane harrassed her,

I did get messages saying, "I can see you."

You know, I would look out the window and

I could see him parked outside my house.

Life sentences for the "dangerous, ruthless criminals" who poured

boiling water on a couple to steal ?50,000.

how, after decades of neglect and a devastating fire, Hastings has

how the south east helped to shape the Beatles iconic

Train drivers on Southern Rail have voted to reject the latest deal

to end their long-running industrial action over

The ballot result is an embarrassment to leaders

of the Aslef train drivers' union who recommended their members

However, it was a close vote - with just over 50% of members

Now the management at Southern are now seeking fresh

talks with the union - but its not clear when, or if,

The RMT union, which represents conductors, was not part of the deal

There were high hopes that the second deal struck with Aslef would

see the beginning of the end of this long and painful industrial dispute.

Instead the train drivers have rebelled against their own union

leaders, plunging commuters back into uncertainty. They are not

caring about the public, they are messing us around. It is time they

get a grip and get back to work. It is an inconvenience to have trained

counsellor, especially when you are on a trip to London, and connecting

train. They need to get together and obviously they are trying but I am a

bit confused. Is there something else going on here? The suggestions

have been made that this is not actually about the issues at stake.

This is about the political campaign about the ownership and management

of the railway and this is not the right way to perceive those issues.

The central issue of the dispute has always been Southern pot plan to

change the role of guards do on both supervisors. Giving the driver is

the responsibility for operating the door. Southern have argued they were

the their safety critical person on-board except in exceptional

circumstances. The deals have focused on what those circumstances

might be. The latest deal reduced that list of acceptable reasons from

running a train with only the driver on board, lateness is no longer

wanted them. Southern author agreed to roll out improve the CCTV cameras

a year earlier and an bald supervisors were set to receive

extra safety training. The RMT union argued this is basically the same

deal in a new envelope. This referendum result today proves that

there is a genuine concern among Aslef members and the executive are

out of touch with reality, persistently trying to renegotiate

something which is unacceptable to the members. In view of the fact

that this is the second time a leadership recommendation has been

rejected, in my view, the leaders, if they have any integrity at all,

they should seriously be considering their position and indeed possibly

resigning. Both sides say they are prepared to sit down together for

new talks and understand the issues. This evening, about understanding

seems as remit as ever. -- as remote.

Amanda is at Three Bridges station now.

We know that after the previous deal collapsed in February, it took three

weeks of talks on them to be reached this new agreement. There are into

the long haul though both sides have said to us this evening they are

determined to return fairly, in Tideway, house back to the table to

resume discussions, welcomed by MPs. Southern have talks planned with the

RMT union, a separate dispute is continuing, their 30 Thursday of

strike action is due for Saturday. The Adrian Russell -- the day of the

marathon. They say a train should not run without a second person

on-board under any circumstances. Let's go to Peter Whittlesea

who is in Seaford. Peter, do people there feel

particularly aggrieved They think the dispute is about

people going to London but here it is a strike that affects the whole

community. Schoolchildren who use the train to go to school, or the

students who go to Brighton to college and also it is the main

legatees Eastbourne and Hastings beyond. In the early days of the

strike went there with the drivers strike, there were no bus

replacement services so the town was cut off.

What has the reaction been there tonight?

Everyone has an opinion on this business owners say in the summer it

had an impact on tourist coming down for the day, if they didn't say it

could have an impact on house prices and that is why they want to see

some resolution soon. -- estate agents.

A lot of people use the train to get to work, worked in Brighton, the

connection train to London. It will also affect the property market,

people buying in the local area. You seem a bit resigned. I think at the

start everyone was fed up and angry and now everyone just goes that is

just Southern. And we are resigned. I am exasperated by the whole thing

really. Everything is the same. When is it going to end? No idea.

The majority of people I have spoken to tonight say they want the

government to intervene if the talks in the next few weeks do not

conclude with a resolution. Peter, thank you.

Not fit for purpose - how some ambulances in the south

Two men who subjected a couple to a brutal attack,

pouring boiling water over their heads, have been

Kacey Adams and Daniel Wallace were described as ruthless criminals.

They broke into the Halstead home of John and Janice Buswell last

April and subjected them to a two hour torture ordeal before stealing

Today the judge said the attack brought feelings

Put your hands on the seat. Arrested while still on the plane on their

way back from Dubai, Kacey Adams and Daniel Wallace had been spending

money they had got through the most horrifying of burglaries. Today,

there was every security surrounding the court as the two men described

as ruthless animals prepared to use extreme violence started their life

sentences. John and Janice Boswell, pictured here in happier times,

stayed away from the hearings. But those attending had had their lives

had been ruined by the physical and psychological damage they suffered.

Attacked out of the blue in their own home, but horribly by kettles

boiling water tipped over their heads. Today the judge described how

these two men who have shown no remorse broken, tied them with cable

ties and did not even wait for an answer over where the safe was

before emptying the cattle over Mrs Boswell. Torture be carried out

twice on her and wants on her husband. He said nobody listening

could feel anything but free auction, thickness and a deep anger.

It had been gratuitous violence and no reason at all which had ruined

the lives of two pensioners. It was a horrifying events. The most

horrifying events I've ever heard of. It is incredibly rare, it is a

one-off, the officers were equally shocked. I'm pleased by the sentence

today and I hope this will code of victims you fold. Mrs Boswell nearly

died from her burns. Her husband also badly burned said their lives

have been destroyed. Kacey Adams and Daniel Wallace were also jailed

today for an unconnected shooting be carried out jointly in Essex. Given

three life sentences each, they will spend a minimum of 12 and a half

years behind bars. A reporter is outside now. What else

did the judge have to say? He said these men had left people

with their lives devastated by their greed without even sharing, as he

did it, a whisper of remorse. Wallace and Adams were arrested on

that plane on the way home from Dubai where they had been spending

money that had taken in that they believe. They had taken almost

?50,000 from the Buswells. They had ?18,000 worth of designer clothes on

them. We heard that the couple will never get over what happened to

them, either physically or mentally but as the detective inspector said,

he hoped that those life sentences would give them at least a little

bit of comfort. Thank you.

?4 million of funding for the regeneration

of Brighton's Madeira Terraces has been rejected.

The local council applied to the government's

Coastal Communities Fund in the hope of restoring the arches.

The money would have gone towards a ?23 million project

to restore the seafront to its former glory.

They have been closed for safety reasons since 2015.

People in Kent are being told not to panic if they see an increased

The South East Coast Ambulance Service is being forced

to remove equipment from some of its ambulances, and limit

the number of people who can travel in them because the vehicles

are getting too heavy to be safe on the road.

45 out of a fleet of 300 will only be allowed to transport a maximum

of two crew members and a patient and 18 of those ambulances

One union that represents workers is concerned.

It's clearly a concern because it is going to put pressure on the

resources, especially coming up to the bank holiday weekend

And it's not something that the GMB welcome IN any way.

But hopefully we can source more resources with the management

and make sure there is a service out there for the public.

How big an impact is there going to be on services?

Around one in six ambulances is effective. The trusted it today

there is a scenario where a child is involved in an accident, needs to go

to hospital but is unable to go in the ambulance with their parents

because only three people are allowed on board. They admit this is

a worst-case situation, they would send to other transport for the

parents. The equipment being removed, we are told, is nonvital

equipment. The review is being carried out. Most of the ambulance

affected are in Sussex. This is a trust already in special measures

and this is a headache they could well do without at this moment.

Thank you. A woman who says she was stalked

by Portslade murderer Michael Lane has told this programme she regrets

not telling the police as she believes it would have

prevented him from going on Now 21, Ellie May, from Mile Oak,

says she started to receive inappropriate contact from Lane

when she was still a schoolgirl and that he stalked her with social

media and took photographs Our special correspondent Colin

Campbell has this exclusive report. You ain't going to believe me

but it is up to you. A dangerous and obsessive man,

Michael Lane murdered Shana Grice in August last year

after a terrifying campaign of But it seems Shana wasn't

the only women Lane had There were points where

I didn't want to leave my house because he lived so close

to me and I did get messages saying, "I can see you," you know,

and I would look at the window and I could see

him parked outside my house. And he would send me

pictures of my own Ellie says Michael Lane first

started to harass her when she was a ten-year-old

Girl Guide. When she was a teenager, she says

he sent her sexually explicit It just said if I pay for a night

in a hotel and then I give you some money, will you let me

do what I want to you? In unsettling, unsolicited

text messages, Lane He also told her she

was gorgeous and that her boyfriend was lucky to wake up

next to her in the morning. He is serving a life

sentence for killing Shana, he stalked her for a year,

even attaching a tracking She had reported him

to the police on five During one complaint,

Sussex Police issued Shana with a fixed penalty notice

for wasting police time. The judge's comments were very

clear, I think, for the court to hear that there may well be

systemic failings within Sussex Ellie regrets not telling the police

what she knew about Lane. I wish I had because I possibly

could have stopped what happened. Many, many homicides,

if you track back, will follow So don't brush it off,

take it seriously because it could be something a lot

more sinister Another target of Michael Lane's,

Ellie says she came forward to urge other stalking victims

to contact the police, Ellie May says she regrets

not telling the police, If Sussex Police would have known

about Ellie's case then it is likely they would have taken Shana Grice's

completes much seriously. Sussex Police said they both had from Ellie

after Michael Lane had been charged with Shauna's murder. They said

Ellie declined to take part in any prosecution. Michael Lane was

manipulative, calculating in his stalking behaviour. It had, it

seems, attempted to groom Ellie from early year and -- from a very young

age. It seems he had eulogised for the inappropriate messages. --

apologise. It left Ellie in a confused state not knowing if she

had been stopped or not. Thank you. -- stalked.

Train drivers on Southern Rail have voted to reject the latest deal

to end their long-running industrial action over Driver

Southern are now seeking fresh talks with the union Aslef

but it's not clear when, or if, they will take place.

Peer of the year. How Hastings Bay has risen from the ashes.

And it was a sunny spring day with highs of 18 filters. Rain back again

for tomorrow. Looking decent after that. The details for you in the

forecast a little later in the programme.

BBC South East Today has discovered that a major

study into the possibility of building a second rail line

between Brighton and London was left unread by the Transport Secretary

for almost three months after he took office.

It's led to claims from two Brighton MPs

carried out at a cost of ?100,000 - announced just before

Our political editor Helen Catt has tonights special report.

When former chancellor George Osborne came

to the battle ground seat of Lewes just before

the general election, it was with a tantalising offer for rail

It's a plan to create jobs, invest in the

train the, like the second Sussex rail line from London, those are all

And he would put his money where his mouth was,

?100,000 announced in the budget for a major study into the new

The report on the new route, which would link Brighton to

London via Uckfield and Tunbridge Wells,

was finished and with the

Department for Transport by April 2016.

But then it seems it hit the buffers.

In July, it was all change at the DFT with Chris Grayling

This programme has discovered though it was another three months before

he looked at the study, leading some opponents

to claim it was just an election stunt.

I knew the very day that George Osborne came to Sussex

and announced the study that he was buying votes.

But it was an opportunity that I wanted to seize.

If the Treasury are going to spend ?100,000 looking at the real

-- rail challenges we have in the south-east of England

then great, I've going to grab that opportunity.

The thing that really frustrates me is that they

had the money, they had the opportunity and

On the day before Chris Grayling got his briefing, the Rail Minister

Paul Maynard had assured MPs that ministers were carefully

When we pressed the Department for Transport though as to which

ministers, they declined to name any apart from Paul Maynard. The Green

MP for Brighton with Lillian has said all this suggests this was

never high priority for the government. The Conservative MP for

Mehmet Akpinar is adamant that is not true. It is a priority by the

government have been very clear that they clip priority is the main line.

We cannot have a situation where we had glassy where people cannot get

to work, parents cannot pick up their children. When the report was

published last month, Peetoom said it would not be backing with public

money. -- the government. It is encouraging promoters to get private

cash. We understand Chris Greening did receive briefings about the

existing mainline later on and he's working closely with Network Rail on

proposals to create that. -- Chris Grayling.

Rolling Stone magazine says it is THE most important

and influential rock and roll album ever recorded and this year

the Beatles Sergeant Pepper is 50 years old.

There are a host of connections with the south east,

an antiques shop in Sevenoaks provided the inspiration for one

of the track on the album, the cover art was designed

by Dartford's Peter Blake and, of course, Sir Paul McCartney

chose to settle in East Sussex, near Rye.

50 years on and it remains a musical high water mark. I had written a

song, the title song and I put it to the guys, what we should do, we

could make this record now under another persona, we will be this

other band. And it will free us. The idea was that we could bring

anything we wanted because now there was no lid on what we could do.

Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in 1967, it was the Beatles at the

height of their creative powers. Sergeant Pepper is the enormously

significant, one of the most significant records release. No one

had done one as ambitious, experimented as much of the Beatles

did on that record and it broke new ground, it was a concept album. And

while the Beatles created the concept, this man drafted the

college that was the album's extraordinary artwork. Paul had the

idea about it being some kind of group photograph and what I

contributed was the idea that it could be a crowd of people watching

them, it could be anybody they wanted. They could choose the dream

crowd. By the late 60s, the Beatles were no changes to the south-east.

Scenes from magical mystery tour with building west mauling. -- were

filmed. Just a few miles away, Sevenoaks with the location for the

film which accompany Strawberry fields. It was while the Beatles

were filming at the park that John Lennon visited an antique shop here

in Sevenoaks and his eye was taken by an old Victorian circus poster.

Boasting the feats of one Pablo. This was to become the template for

the lyrics to being for the benefit of Mr Kite. The songs of Sergeant

Pepper live on through the generations. George Connolly and his

son Ben one of Beatles homage to Sevenoaks today. There's recorded

photo of me sitting on my dad's me with the Sergeant Pepper on. My dad

is proud as punch. Has Sergeant Pepper been bettered? Nothing has

been better, Sergeant Pepper is not. The Beatles couldn't not better

themselves. It still sounded good. It's been through years

of neglect decay and was almost destroyed in a huge

fire but now the rebirth And today, almost a year

after re-opening, has been The restoration project

cost ?14.2 million, since reopening more than 450,000

people have visited. Today the government announced

that the White Rock area around the pier is to get more

than ?800,000 for, among other things,

new lifeguards and beach huts. Chrissie Reidy is on

the pier for us now. Chrissie, the sun has been

shining all day! It is pretty foggy there at the

moment. The weather here has been so jury in

Hastings and it does feel very different on the pier under the mist

and the cloud. This pier, it is different to the old pier. There is

no ballroom, I do not know whether you concede that just up the stairs

there is a visitors centre. Behind the centre, there is a vast space

which has already been used for concerts and performances and it has

brought in a lot of visitors since it reopened last May and the hope is

with that venue space there, the visitors will keep coming.

From the air you get a real sense of the newly wristed Hastings pier.

Reopened less than 12 months, it is won the coveted prize tarmac of the

year. I think it deserves it, they deserve the pier back. Now you have

got to rebuild pier, more people will visit Hastings. Specifically to

see what the pier is all about. It has not always been lain sailing. It

fell into a state of despair after a succession of different owners. In

2010, it was ravaged by fire. Heritage lottery money and funds

raised by the committee who refused to give up and it saved it. This is

only says its recitation has broadened the town's appeal. It has

been involved in a national rail campaign. -- its restoration.

Railway brings Britain to live. The symbols of Hastings in decline and

now it is a symbol of Hastings in Renaissance. It is lovely, one of

the final pieces of the jigsaw of what Hastings has too often the old

town, the new town and now the pier and the whole seafront. Billed as a

pleasure pier in 1872, it soon became an iconic structure. --

built. It was the first pier to be designed and built with a large

entertainment centre on it. Up until then, they had been promenades,

where you could go and meet people, a social centre. People had not

realise quite what you could do with a pier. Less than a traditional

pier, this 21st-century structure has reinvented itself. We can bring

in their grand rounds throughout the summer, we can take them off again

and it becomes like beauty space for locals. -- community. There is a lot

of versatility. The award recognise the dedication of Hastings commuted.

Proving once again that we do like to be beside the seaside. --

Hastings committee. It is a huge part of Hastings.

Coastal towns need a little bit of an cash injection because today the

government have announced more money for seaside towns. Hastings is set

to get ?813,000. I think for the people here in the bill in Hastings

it is Apart from those misty case, top ten

just today. Around 18 Celsius in Greece and in Kent. It is not going

to last. There is more cloud around. We are going to be seen but as we

head through tonight and eventually to was the early hours of tomorrow

morning we're going to start to see some rain, heavy at times. Overnight

temperatures around six or seven Celsius. Still lots of mist and fog

as you start the day tomorrow. Very quickly though all of us are going

to be seen that rain. It stays with us, lingers through the morning. By

the afternoon, it is much drier picture. But still lots of cloud. It

is not all doom and gloom. We will see that area of high pressure

through the week. Tomorrow, lots of cloud, rain during the morning. The

afternoon, a lot more cloud around, mostly dry picture. Raging between

ten and 12 Celsius. Cooler than the values we had today. Quite light

winds. Tuesday into Wednesday, pressure builds. Then we started

these breaks in the cloud cover and with clear skies, lighter winds, a

good deal of mist and fog in places. Temperatures in rural spots,

dropping to round three or four Celsius. Actually start to the day

for Wednesday but what a difference by the afternoon. Season breaks in

the cloud cover, temperatures creeping up as we head through the

week. A similar David Thursday and Friday. Lots of cloud, feeling

cooler, and then Wednesday onwards. Rachel, thank you. I will be back at

eight o'clock and 10:25pm with the update. Until then, have a very good

evening. Goodbye. Stacey and Chris are preparing for

marriage by spending a few days living alone with

their in-laws to be, and asking them all kinds of

questions. Did you get a kiss on

the first date? No. What does their in-laws' marriage

tell them about each other's I expect you'll want to become

a schoolmaster, sir. That's what most of the gentlemen

does that get sent down for indecent behaviour.

Evelyn Waugh's classic novel. Have you ever been in love,

Mr Pennyfeather? No, not yet. The fire escape is very dangerous

and never to be used.