Tunbridge Wells - December 2003

The view to the east from the new railings at Cumberland Walk towards the site of Grove Junction. This stretch of trackbed was believed at one time to be owned by the sustainable transport charity Sustrans, although current information places it still in railway ownership.

The house on the left provides a useful reference point in a comparison of this photo with a 1981 view of the same location in our photo archive.

It seems ironic that this view was taken after more than six years of government by 'New Labour', a party whose leaders had often criticised Conservative transport policies as anti-rail and whose shadow transport secretary -- now deputy prime minister -- John Prescott promised voters an "integrated transport policy" and a 50% increase in rail use between 2000 and 2010.