tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5899732404367118403.post5595442782400209618..comments2023-09-12T19:56:32.696+10:00Comments on rorybaust.com: The New Street railway crossing in Brighton, no longer open to cars, still has a gatekeeper.rorybausthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17540677275033413018noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5899732404367118403.post-9648515818575900192011-01-31T20:28:56.714+11:002011-01-31T20:28:56.714+11:00The Age article wrongly paints the gates as merely...The Age article wrongly paints the gates as merely a quaint reminder of a bygone era etc.<br /><br />If I was going to take a hard line on this, I'd argue that they should be re-opened as hand-operated with sufficient additional features to mollify Connex=Metro=State Government transport bureaucrats, because:<br /><br />- no-one seriously contests that hand-operated gates have a much better safety record than fully-automated ones<br /><br />- Connex=Metro=State Government transport bureaucrats clearly have vested interests, amongst which is the corporate obsession with getting rid of any form of human involvement, and the fact that they seemed to almost welcome the recent 'accident' is very suspicious <br /><br />- of course they have great historic value, enhanced by their beachside location <br /><br />However, taking a more pragmatic approach, the best solution may be to leave them closed, but restore and preserve the structures in their current location (moving things like this can enormously detract from their heritage value).<br /><br />The Government will indeed be watched closely on this one.<br /><br />- Michael B., East St KildaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17674868252688176172noreply@blogger.com