Electric dreams

It seems a number of BBC staff at MediaCityUK are receiving an extra frisson as they start their day, on top of the joy of working in Peter Salmon's Fun Palace.

Some drivers have reported mild shocks as they attempt to insert passes in the car park barriers - not that painful, but sufficient to make them drop the blessed things, and irritate the queue behind. There are, apparently, grounding mats on the ramps ahead of the barriers - but, in dry weather, there's enough distance to the barriers for static to build up again.

More mats are on order. If you can't wait for that to end the jolts, one know-it-all has suggested that static on clothing adds to the problem, and arriving naked should sort that out. I'll let you know.

Beverages

On train from Liverpool to London post-match, pulling out of Crewe, and the guard announces:

Welcome to passengers who've just joined us. The shop is in Coach C, in the middle of the train. Sorry, lads, we've sold out of beer. For rugby union fans, there's still some wine and cider left....

News from the peleton

Arriving with your fearless blogger unsigned, uncredited, and slightly under-explained, a set of grainy JPEGs from the bunkers of Henry Wood House, W1. The BBC has retained use of the basement, and used it for a mixture of cars and bikes, because of the limited provision in the twinkly new building, the other side of All Souls church.

However, my confidante suggests that, over the weekend, the balance has swung in favour of the car. Could it be that there are more drivers joining the BBC at senior management and executive levels ? This, in an organisation led by champions of cycling such as James Harding and Alan Yentob ?  I expect to be reassured that the missing racks have been accommodated elsewhere. If only the number plates hadn't been blurred, eh ?

Thursday 0900 Update: I am duly reassured that the balance between cars and bikes has been maintained, and the re-organisation is simply to get better circulation.

Higher ground

Here's a handy map from the Environment Agency, indicating flood risk areas around Gatwick Airport (dark blue, highest risk).  Maybe the operators would like to consider using a white bit, when re-siting the two electricity sub-stations that fell victim to the wayward waters of the River Mole over Christmas ? And I presume Sir Howard Davies' commission on the future development of London's airports has a copy?

Here's a map of the threat areas of flooding around Heathrow.

Please cover up

QPR's plans for a new stadium and ma-hoosive development at Old Oak, north of the Westway and close to what's left of Wormwood Scrubs, looks like a smart move. They've already got strategic control of 100 acres, the support of Hammersmith and Fulham, the GLA - and the fixing skills of Antony Spencer, who advised Arsenal in the development of the Emirates, and is also helping Brentford with their plans for a new ground.

Public transport ought to be a doddle - accessible from North Acton, Willesden Green, and, probably, the proposed CrossRail/HS2 interchange at Old Oak Common. Some may even arrive by canal boat, with the development running alongside the Grand Union Canal. Altogether a much better idea than a once-mooted move to a tiny parcel of land south of Television Centre on Wood Lane.

But please, can we please consider a stadium with a retractable roof ?  Modern Desso-style pitches are getting better and stronger, and clubs need to look at getting more use out of their investments. A roof should enable more varied events - and less disruption when they are pop concerts.

Wait in lounge

Director of BBC North Peter Salmon has filled the seat on the European Broadcasting Union executive left vacant by Roger Mosey, Master of Selwyn College and irritator of Danny Cohen.

Wonder what that will do to the BBC's flight bill from Manchester - or, indeed, London ?

North

While we're on about transport costs, BBC staff spent £1.3m on flights booked through the Corporation to and from Manchester over the last 30 months. (An earlier version of this post said it was 1,300 flights, which was wrong).

Still, they were all probably cheaper than Peter Salmon's June trip to San Francisco, from Heathrow, at just over £3,300. One presumes this sort of money acquires at least a business class seat, and that Peter and his travelling companion, Director of Operations, Dominic Coles, hit the ground running, as the expenses rules require.

BBC organ Ariel says the "pair went to look at new broadcasting technology not available in the UK over four days."  Technology chums will recognise them as absolutely the right team to carry out that sort of investigation, and look forward to reading their joint paper.

Wheelies

A veritable fleet of executive Brompton bicycles now leaves Broadcasting House at the end of the working day.  Director of News James Harding and Newsnight editor Ian Katz have joined Alan Yentob as proud owners of the folding bike, manufactured in Brentford.

As for the current debate on the safety of commuting by bike in London, Alan Yentob lowers the odds by cycling on the pavement through Bayswater, on the way home to Notting Hill, powered by size 8 Nike Air Max Ones.  Let me know if you spot the others behaving similarly.

Peripheral

A bit slow to catch up with this clever piece from Top Gear. Brilliant editing, but shameless continuity. Fans of dodgy off-the-shelf-building systems will notice the bike riding over roof-top offices created out of cream-painted concertina-ed metal - and the rear wheel making the odd dent. These offices were named "The Periphery" - home to Tony Hall and his kitchen cabinet when he was Director of News - and unbearable in any temperature above 22C.

Grrrrr

Blogging will be light today. We left Lewes at 6pm, heading for London, and ended up at 10pm in a grim Brighton sea-front hotel. The BBC local radio service was all but useless. This morning, Sky News was on the case, but Breakfast woeful. There IS a story to tell, and it's not just about lack of grit - it's about lack of leadership and information.

Let's see if someone can do some decent analysis by 6pm. I might be home then...

By the time I get to....

The latest figures for BBC suits' expenses are out. I'm puzzled by those for Caroline Thomson, who left the BBC "at the end of September", having failed to convince Lord Patten and others that she'd be a better DG than George Entwistle. She received a reasonable sum in lieu of notice - but was she still on BBC business when she flew to Phoenix from Heathrow on the 13th October, at a return cost of  £4,190.89? 

Plated

The Celtic fringe of the BBC has been indulging itself. A Freedom of Information request has identified two "personalised" numberplates in the BBC's vehicle fleet.

402 BBC is on a Mercedes Sprinter Van, used by BBC Wales. "As this number plate was purchased around 15 years ago, detailed records relating to the transaction no longer exist, but it is understood that the cost was £300. The plate was purchased by BBC Wales (Resources) Ltd, a commercial operation which ceased to exist in 2001."

CU1792 - bear with me - is attached to a Mercedes Vito Traveliner Diesel 8 Seater in Northern Ireland. "To the best of our knowledge, this registration plate was assigned to a BBCNI vehicle at least 20 years ago. We do not hold any information about the purchase or transfer of this registration number".

This is where I need help - what am I meant to read into CU1792 ? 1792 was the first Belfast Harp Festival, and the year in which Catholics were allowed to practise as lawyers, and marry Protestants. I can't find a radio frequency which matches. Does it read as something in Gaelic ? Please tell me it's not staring me in the face....

Transport for London

There's always one, isn't there ?

Wheels within...

I've been pointed to this sentence from the BBC Executive Board Remuneration Report 2011/2.

During 2011/12 there has also been the temporary allocation of a car and driver for the use of the Chief Operating Officer and other members of the Executive Board and BBC Direction Group for the remaining life of the car lease arrangement.


My source is puzzled as to why the Chief Operating Officer of the BBC, Caroline Thomson, gets an individual mention. It could have easily read thus, with the same meaning.....couldn't it ?



During 2011/12 there has also been the temporary allocation of a car and driver for the use of  members of the Executive Board and BBC Direction Group for the remaining life of the car lease arrangement.


The car and driver was handed over from the BBC Trust in May 2011, when Lord Patten said he didn't want the chauffeur service required by previous incumbent, Sir Michael Lyons.


In BBC-reported figures since May 2011, Caroline Thomson has taken taxi rides to the value of £2795.99.

Wireless

Hello !  Yes, you, standing at the MediaCityUK tramstop. There's no service, because cables have been stolen, somewhere near Cornbrook.  And they're the cables that also carry the ANNOUNCEMENTS.

Motoring

More FOI responses from the BBC.  Spending on senior manager's car allowances stood at £3.3m last year. Three years ago it was £3.4m.  Does this savage cut of 2.9% seem slightly out of kilter with the assertion that Auntie's well on the way to cutting senior management by 25% ?

In the various divisions that now make up "News", the story seems to be that Mark Byford and his car have left the building....

Low gear

There seems to be an odd piece of prevarication going on at the BBC about how much it spends on cars and car allowances for bosses in News, broken down by News (old style), English Regions, Monitoring and World Service. An enquiry made on What Do They Know ? has been met with two requests for an extension of time by the BBC FOI team.

Truncated

Better news for Edinburgh taxi drivers. Last night saw another shortening of the troubled tram line from the airport. Passengers with heavy luggage will now be turfed off at Haymarket.  A handy 850m hop to the Conference Centre, 2.5km to the Royal Mile, and 3.3km to the Scottish Parliament.  Bags with wheels are little help up and down the hills of the Scottish capital.

Taxis are £1.60 to hire before 6pm, £2.70 after 6pm - you get the first 450 metres thrown in, and then its 25p for 210 metres or 45 seconds of waiting time - currently a big earner because of tram construction works !

Le tram

An excellent exclusive from the Manchester Evening News team - Stagecoach, who've been running Manchester's Metrolink tram service since 2007, are moving out, and the contract now goes to French operator RATP, who run the Paris Metro.

Stagecoach took over infrastructure and operations from Serco, and still have six years to run on their contract. It's anyone's guess as to what's ended the deal early; they seemed to be making a profit from the licence, there are major expansion plans to be completed (from the current 37km of track up to 97km in total by 2016) - and, as users of trams to MediaCityUK will know, an computerised points-switching system to get right.  They were appointed by Transport For Greater Manchester, representing the interests of 10 local authorities.

Coincidence

The tram service to MediaCityUK worked yesterday, in the form of a shuttle service from Picadilly. This work-round has been in operation since last Friday.   So the press pack travelling with Mark Thompson and Peter Salmon got the full integrated transport experience, and not the tedious little walk from Harbour City.

Funnily, the tram service today is not calling at MediaCity. A bald GMPTE statement says it's out of operation until further notice, because of signal failure.