The Prime Minister has announced his five key priorities for the year ahead - halving inflation, growing the economy, decreasing national debt and NHS waiting lists and stopping small boats that cross the channel illegally. Lots of these issues affect people right across Hertford and Stortford and I know many will be relieved to see them addressed and tackled so head on.
In Westminster, the Minimum Service Levels Bill has also been a huge topic of recent focus. It will ensure that vital services, such as health, fire and rescue and transport services, maintain a basic level of function when workers strike. To be clear, this is not about stopping workers’ right to strike. That freedom, of course, needs to be defended. However it must now be balanced with the public’s right to access the most critical and life saving services. This is especially true when I think of the most vulnerable in our community.
Locally, I held an urgent meeting with Greater Anglia to push for better rail replacement provisions. This came after their announcement not to run replacement buses along the Hertford East/Liverpool Street line during five days of planned engineering works last month. This kind of decision doesn’t just affect people in Hertford and Ware, but right across the constituency because it is a commuter area. People need to know that the right provisions will be provided for them, wherever and whenever their journeys are affected. I’m glad Greater Anglia has taken this feedback from our meeting onboard and is now working towards making sure this does not happen again. They are working with Network Rail to help put better long term contingency plans in place and looking at securing additional rail replacement bus service capacity so that alternative options can always be provided. They also reaffirmed their commitment to working with me to improve services for passengers on the Bishop’s Stortford line. I continue to monitor this closely and will be sure to update you on any developments.
I am hosting a roundtable for local businesses this month too. It is the perfect opportunity for them to raise any challenges they are facing, and for me to look at how I can help. The roundtable is taking place on Friday 3rd February from 3pm to 4pm. Please get in touch if you would like to come.
I was delighted to donate an original tile from the House of Commons to Sawbridgeworth Memorial Hall, following the Palace of Westminster’s recent restoration. The tile has been placed next to a stone, also from the House of Commons, that was given to the Hall when it was built in 1953. I attended a lovely unveiling ceremony with local officials and school children to celebrate this new small piece of history’s arrival to Sawbridgeworth. I hope the tile will continue to be visited and enjoyed by people for years to come.