Haythornthwaite still struggling to reform NR

Does anyone at Network Rail bother listening to their Chairman?

In November Rick Haythornthwaite admitted that he "heard the word 'arrogant' a lot" when listening to views of NR.

Indeed.

So what are we to make of the following?

NR's recently published Great Western RUS contains a suggestion that the former Cheltenham Spa to Stratford-upon-Avon route might be reopened.

Splendid news!

But what is this?

Alas!

Part of the route has already been reopened and is in regular use!

This from Gloucestshire.co.uk...

Volunteers from Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway (GWR), which operates steam trains on a section of the Honeybourne Line between Cheltenham Racecourse and Toddington, say they were not consulted by Network Rail before the restoration proposals were included in its route utilisation strategy.

Of course NR is not alone in riding rough shod over heritage lines.

ATOC was guilty of the same offence back in June last year.

Surely basic good manners would have avoided NR falling into the same trap?

UPDATE: This from Richard...

I think you need to look who's asking for this reopening.

If you look through the submissions to the consultation, then the "demand" actually comes from one Rt Hon D. Cameron (MP for Witney, which of course encompasses the eastern end of the Cotswold Line). He appears to have written, at the behest of a constituent, a slightly confused letter suggesting that Honeybourne-Stratford should be considered for reopening.

Network Rail may not think this is a remotely plausible scheme, but I presume self-preservation dictates that when the probable next Prime Minister suggests something, you have to at least pay it lip service.