14/03/2010 by Steve Barclay.

A chance this week-end to catch up with Graham Chappell, who has done such a superb job to keep momentum going on this important issue. For those not already well aware of the campaign, the Fenland Road Safety campaign started following the tragic death of 9 year old Charlotte Walker on the Sixteen Foot bank and aims to mitigate accidents on Fen roads adjacent to water.

I am always greatly impressed by Graham’s commitment and energy, and it is good to get an update from him.  Progress has been made with speed cameras on the forty foot and rumble strips on the sixteen foot, and Graham himself has raised over £2,500 towards barrier work.  If the Conservatives win the General Election, we have a commitment from our Shadow Roads Minister Robert Goodwill MP that he will visit to see the issue first hand.

Bedlam Bridge is the most pressing area for a barrier, as it is a sharp turn when travelling from Christchurch towards March if the road has not been gritted in icy conditions.  Graham estimates it will cost £8,000 for barriers there.  When the Government is spending over £1 billion a week on debt interest, it seems odd that they cannot help fund road safety schemes.  Perhaps we can have a few less Government television and radio adverts, and use the money where it will make a real difference.

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19/11/2009 by Steve Barclay.

£50 million for Network Rail announced today to spend on rail stations.  So how much will our share be?  Zero.  Ten stations have been earmarked for improvement, and nine of the ten are in Labour constituencies.  We don’t even get a share of the £3.25 billion planned to be spent over the next five years.

What about the money for new Colleges?  Earlier in the year we saw funding for further education colleges cut with just 13 getting the go ahead.  All 13 were in Labour constituencies.  Our new College was scrapped, one month before building was due to start.

Is it any better on road transport?  £1.5 million has just been announced today to be spent improving road safety - a major issue locally.  But this is money for roads overseas.  Fenland Road Safety Campaign earlier this month submitted their petition to No 10 for funding for the Fen roads adjacent to waterways, but we were told no money was available.

Network Rail has £3.25 billion to improve 2,000 stations over the next 5 years, but none of these are in North East Cambridgeshire.  Funding will improve Peterborough (so Labour ministers heading to their heartlands in the North East can have a smooth journey) and also in Cambridge (the south of the county again given priority) but none of our stations are included.  There are no plans for example to extend the platforms at Whittlesey and Manea, or to link up Wisbech.  Yet the Government wants more houses built here.

Taxpayers locally keep being short changed.  Safety on local roads matters.  Anything that reduces the loss of life from road traffic accidents is to be welcome in whatever country it is, but action overseas does not mean that no action at home is acceptable.  Likewise a good train service from Cambridge & Peterborough is great news for our commuters to London -but they have to get to Cambridge or Peterborough in the first place.   And scrapping our College will not help them have a job to go to in the first place.

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30/10/2009 by Steve Barclay.

Meet up with Graham Chappell of the Fenland Road Safety Campaign in Westminster today to discuss progress with the Campaign over a coffee, and to help ensure the delivery of his campaign letters and progress review.  Reports are being sent to Gordon Brown, David Cameron, the Transport and Shadow Transport Ministers and Roads Minister and Shadow Roads Minister.  Graham has done a fantastic job and with well over the 500 signatories required for a Number 10 Petition to receive a formal response from the Prime Minister, we look forward to the Government’s response.  There is still time to sign the petition so if you have not done so please go to the link and add your support

 http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Fenland/

 A huge amount of work has gone in over the 12 months since Graham last came to Westminster to petition, and momentum behind his campaign continues to grow.  The review is well worth reading and to do so click on the attached pdf here.

Graham Chappell & Steve Barclay in Westminster.

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