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  • Chiltern Railways – First to Trial Latest Mobile Technology

    From this week Chiltern Railways? passengers have the opportunity to trial the latest mobile phone technology which provides them with up-to-the-minute travel information*.

    The software, called NOMAD, is provided free of charge and allows people to store train timetables on their mobiles (contract or pay-as-you-go). It also tells users:

    If their train is on time, running late or cancelled
    If the station car park is full before they leave home, what time the ticket office opens and closes,and
    which buses go to and from their station (at selected stations).
    Passengers? trialling the technology will be charged a one-off fee of about 10 pence to download the timetables and timetable reader. From then on they can access timetable information FREE OF CHARGE.

    Up-to-the-minute travel information, such as finding out if a train is running late, will cost less than a penny. For example, accessing up-to-the-minute travel information on Nomad 100 times a month will cost only about 50p. There are no contracts or hidden charges.

    Commuters who want to trial the software need to type www.jnomad.com into their mobile phone?s browser and follow the links. Detailed instructions are available in ?How to Use Nomad? leaflets at all Chiltern Railways stations.

    The three month trial will assess whether the service will be offered on an ongoing basis.
    For further information please call Chiltern Railways enquiry line on 08456 005 165 or visit www.chilternrailways.co.uk

  • Elderly Woman Robbed After Pen and Paper Ploy

    AN Elderly Chinnor woman has been robbed, after a gang of youths talked their way into her house.
    Three men, aged between about 19-22 years-old, knocked on the woman?s door in Oakley Road, Chinnor, during the daytime, last Saturday, November 13, and asked for pen and paper before going in and stealing cash.
    Inspector Graham Sutherland, of Thame Police, said this is the first time this particular method of distraction has occurred in this area, although a similar ploy has been used in Witney and Buckingham. He suggested that this would indicate that these people are travelling around the area.
    Anyone with any information can call the Police Enquiry Line 0845 8505 505, or talk anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800555111.

  • New Technology Nabs Car Tax Dodgers

    THAME Police report that, as a result of their use of a Number Plate Recognition device in the Thame sector recently, they have made a number of arrests of drivers who have no car tax.

  • Thame Cinema 4 All

    SHOWING next Saturday, December 18, at The Thame Players Theatre, Nelson street, Thame – “Some Like it Hot” Free entry and mince pie for everyone followed by mulled wine and a party for all!
    Doors open 7.30pm

  • Green Challenge to Boris

    THE political career of Boris Johnson MP faces a new challenge after Henley Greens adopted a new, local candidate to contest the General Election.
    Mark Stevenson, a market gardener who runs an organic farm in Warborough, said that he was proud to have secured the Green Party’s nomination.
    “The Government needs to do much more for rural communities. We need environmentally sound policies which will preserve and regenerate the life
    of our countryside and market towns,” said Mark, adding:
    “I am proud of the work done by Green MEP Caroline Lucas. Many rural people have noticed that she does much more for Oxfordshire than the MEPs of other parties, who are constrained by the anti-environmental influences which fund their party machines. I will seek to provide an equally effective Green voice in the House of Commons.”

  • New Red Kite Film a Soaring Success

    A new film about the Chilterns? favourite bird had its premiere in High Wycombe last Thursday (Nov 11th)

    The 30 minute film was produced and directed by local award winning film maker Phil Martin and tells the story of the re-introduction of red kites into the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The story is told first hand by local experts and includes original footage of red kites flying, feeding and breeding in the Chiltern Hills.

    The Chilterns Conservation Board is selling the film in DVD and VHS video formats to help raise awareness of red kites and the wildlife and landscape of the Chilterns.

    To order a copy, send a cheque for

  • Boris’s Election Opponent Speaks Out

    LABOUR’S Candidate for the Henley Constituency, Kaleem Saeed, has issued a statement following the sitting MP, Boris Johnson’s dismissal as Shadow Art’s Secretary.
    Kaleem said today: “The fact is that Boris has now become a liability for the Tory Party and is now a liability for the people of Henley.”
    “I question whether Boris Johnson should carry on as an MP. Perhaps it is time for the people of Henley to elect a new MP who is young and has fresh ideas. More importantly, the people of Henley deserve to be served by a Member of Parliament who can offer them a full-time rather than a half-hearted commitment. I pledge to offer such a commitment the people of Henley if they give me the honour of serving them as their Member of Parliament under a party in Government!”
    “If the people of Henley put their trust in myself as their MP, as well as full commitment, responsibility and accountability from me, I would push hard for debate on those issues which are important to the constituency, putting current topics, such as housing, transport and business growth at the top of
    the agenda instead of making the news for the wrong reasons!”

  • Wibbly Wobbly Road To Re-open

    THE ‘Wibbly Wobbly’ road, the A329 Rycote Lane, will be re-opened on December 3, following weeks of works by Oxfordshire County Council’s Highways Department, to repair the road.
    The road surface became dangerously uneven following the drought in the summer of 2003, causing the clay soil under the road to become dried out. Months with a temporary 30mph speed limit along the road, inplace until repair work could be undertaken, caused great frustration among many local drivers.
    The repair work, which cost in the region of

  • 20mph on back burner

    A PROPOSED 20 MPH speed limit zone in Thame, is being held up due to lack of staff to carry the project on.
    Oxfordshire County Council?s Principle Engineer, Geoff Barrell, told ThameNews.Net today that he was fighting for more staff to design the scheme which was chosen as a Pilot, and for which money has been ear-marked.
    The next stage, he said, was for his department to take some speed measurements in the proposed speed limit area, to see that traffic is travelling at under 24 mph. If it is not, added Mr Barrell, they could suggest some measures to try to reduce the speed of vehicles, like pink tarmac for instance.
    “We would not be able to impose a speed limit if the majority of Thame people did not want it,” said Mr Barrell.
    “However, the views of the Town Council would probably reflect most people?s attitudes so we would probably be guided by them. A second consultation exercise would have to be carried out, including a big publicity blitz and probably the posting of notices on site, to make sure we get the views of everybody. I would not expect anything else to happen now until at lease April of next year.”

  • Cycle Way Voted Peoples’ Favourite

    THE British public has voted the National Cycle Network, which includes the Phoenix Trail, its first choice for a prestigious National Lottery’s Helping Hand ‘UK Life Award’.
    The award, which recognises the National Lottery-funded project that has made the greatest overall impact to UK national life, was announced on Saturday (6th November) at an award ceremony at London’s Tate Modern. The National Cycle Network and Sustrans, the Bristol charity behind it, were short-listed from over 1,000 entries nominated by the public earlier this summer. Over the past two weeks Lottery phone lines have been flooded with calls from fans of the National Cycle Network from across the UK.
    John Grimshaw, Sustrans’ Chief Executive said: “The National Cycle Network is truly nationwide. 126 million walking and cycling trips were made in 2003 and we are seeing more and more people using it each year. This award is further confirmation that we are really making an impact by helping more people around the UK to walk and cycle, encouraging healthier lifestyles, reducing car congestion and lowering pollution levels. This is the truly sustainable way to travel. We thank everyone who voted for us, and, of course the National Lottery, who’s funding has allowed us to realise a vision that has already given the UK almost 10,000 miles of National Cycle Network.”
    Mike O’Connor CBE, Director of the Millennium Commission said, “The National Cycle Network is a wonderful project and fully merits the National Lottery money provided by the Millennium Commission. It absolutely deserves the prize of being voted one of the nation’s favourite Lottery projects in the first Helping Hand Awards.”
    It was the