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The start of January has seen the Government leading on transport issues with the announcement of the much-needed Road Safety Strategy to help reduce the amount of lives unnecessarily devasted by road traffic accidents. In the past three years as your Member of Parliament, I’ve met with too many constituents whose family and friends have been profoundly affected by this issue.
The strategy includes consultations on lowering the drink-drive limit, which has remained unchanged since 1967, tougher action against repeat offenders, and the potential use of alcohol interlock devices to prevent dangerous driving before it happens.
There is also a strong focus on young and older drivers. The Government is consulting on introducing a three or six-month minimum learning period for learner drivers, giving them more time to build experience, while mandatory eyesight testing for drivers over 70 will also be considered.
Further measures include cracking down on illegal ‘ghost’ number plates, uninsured driving and vehicles without a valid MOT, mandating 18 new vehicle safety technologies, and establishing a new Road Safety Investigation Branch and Board to oversee delivery. There are a number of consultations alongside the Strategy. If you’d like to find out more, details are here: Road safety strategy – GOV.UK
On a more positive note, the Transport Secretary directly mentioned Chester in her statement to the House of Commons outlining the Government’s ambitions to revolutionise rail travel in the North. Our region’s transport is in desperate need of improvement so it’s great to see this be recognised. This builds on the positive news last year about improvements to the Padeswood sidings which will unlock capacity on the newly renamed Bidston-Liverpool line which serves Neston. |
It was great to visit Kris and his amazing volunteers at Shop4Neston last week to thank the team for their fantastic fundraising efforts for Neston charities. Shop4Neston continues to be a great asset for the local community in Neston and I’d encourage residents to continue supporting the organisation. This year, they were able to donate more than £20,500 to 19 good causes and local organisations.
For those of you who know me, you’ll know I love to read. It’s great to be able to kick off the National Year of Reading by supporting our libraries, charity shops and bookstores across Chester North & Neston as you find a good book to settle down and read. We are truly fortunate to have amazing libraries in our area including the Storyhouse, where I enjoyed watching the recent production of Beauty and the Beast with the family over the festive period.
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It’s been a busy few months as the Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy. I’m proud that the Government has recently published the guidance for the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill earlier this week and last week set out the Warm Homes Plan. These policies will help tackle the cost-of-living for so many constituents in Chester North & Neston. If you’d like more information, please get in touch.
It was great to speak to Politics, History and Geography students at Christleton High School recently. Although the school is no longer in the constituency I represent, it was great to return to my former school with my Elections Minister hat on to help engage students in our democracy and answer their questions about life as an MP.
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Ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day, I signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment, reaffirming my commitment to mark this important day – honouring the six million Jewish men, women and children murdered during the Holocaust as well as paying tribute to the extraordinary Holocaust survivors who work tirelessly to educate young people today and remembering the many others who suffered persecution.
I was also honoured to attend Mr Speaker’s Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony in Parliament, listening to the moving testimony of Mala Tribich MBE who told how she and her brother were the only members of her family to survive the Holocaust, following her imprisonment in Ravensbruck and Bergen-Belsen camps. Holocaust Memorial Day, held on 27 January, marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
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As always in these newsletters, I’d like to thank all the organisations in Chester North & Neston working hard to support residents. This month I’d like to thank the incredible team of compassionate volunteers at Samaritans in Chester for handing out tea bags at Chester Railway Station as part of their annual Brew Monday campaign. January is often a difficult time of year for too many residents so please do continue to be a friendly face, checking in with friends and neighbours, providing support to one another.
I’d like to end this month’s newsletter by thanking all the residents who’ve contacted my office over the last 3 years since my election in December 2022. In that time we have recovered over £1.5m for constituents through casework. This includes compensation, refunds, underpaid or missing benefits, helping residents apply for Pension Credit or helping them receive pension money they were missing out on. If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulty in navigating bureaucracy please reach out to arrange a surgery meeting or have your case dealt with directly through email.
Thanks again for taking the time to read this update.
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