Edward Davey MP - Press releases

Issued by: Edward Davey MP
Embargo: Immediate, 15/7/99

Edward Davey’s successful A3 speed reduction campaign set to ‘Save Lives’.

New 50 mph speed limit reduces accidents by 54%
MP wins promise of action to curb speeds on service roads

A recently compiled report by the Highways Agency has shown that Edward Davey MP’s successful campaign to lower the speed limit to 50mph on the A3 is set to saved lives. After 6 months, accident statistics for the A3 have shown that the number of accidents recorded have dropped by an enormous 54%. These figures are corroborated by the fall in complaints received at Edward’s offices regarding the frequency of accidents causing disruption to local residents. In response to the report Edward stated that;

"These speed reductions have greatly improved the quality of life for local residents and have improved safety for tens of thousands of motorists that use this busy road each year. Many residents have told me that the situation has also improved because the level of noisehas dropped."

"I am delighted that the Highways Agency have agreed to my request to act to curb speeding on the A3 service roads. Now I mean to build on this success with other campaigns, working with local residents."

After receiving a call for help from a local school and acting upon information gleaned from a public meeting held with residents living next to the A3, Edward Davey and local Councillor Vicki Harris set-up a meeting with the Head of the London Division of the Highways Agency, Richard Thorndike. Mr Davey and Cllr Harris pressed him to tackle noise pollution and the excessive speed of motorists using the service roads. As a result, a programme is being set up with the Borough Council and local residents to look at improved road signage and acceptable forms of traffic calming for the worst effected roads.

Councillor Vicki Harris who has campaigned for speed reductions on the slip rounds since she was first elected in 1994 said after the meeting:

"I am pleased that the Highways Agency appears to be listening to residents concerns and they have now produced these sensible proposals to tackle this long standing problem. Reducing the speed limit on the A3 has had a dramatic impact and concerned residents are understandably looking for the same results in their own roads."

The meeting also coincided with an announcement in the Commons that an annual budget of £5m is being established for noise mitigation measures for trunk roads opened before 1998 where noise levels are now much greater than expected. The Highways Agency have stated that they will be bidding for this money to improve noise insulation measures along the A3 as soon as it comes on line.

In the meantime, Edward has been working with the Head of Southborough school on plans to establish a "green buffer" zone to reduce noise along the school boundary with the A3. Edward has vowed to continue fight for all the schools along the A3.

"The Head of Southborough made it clear that pupils were having difficulty concentrating because of the noise generated by the traffic and roadworks on the A3. From my visits over the past two years the problem was increasingly apparent. Needless to say, I am delighted that the local authority and Highways Agency have responded to my representations and are now working together to combat this problem so that pupils can concentrate on their lessons instead of the A3."

Another public meeting is due to be arranged in the coming months to report back on these important developments and to gain local residents’ input into the best way to take these measures forward.

ENDS.

Passport Nightmare

Issued by: Edward Davey MP
Embargo: Immediate, 15/7/99

Edward Davey offers help to holiday makers caught up in passport nightmare.

MP puts office on alert for those in need of urgent assistance obtaining passports.

Further to the problems highlighted in the Commons by the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesman, Alan Beith, in May, Edward Davey has put his office on alert to help concerned holiday makers who are fearful of not getting their passports processed in time. Although the Home Secretary recently announced that the majority of passport applications are now being processed before the date of departure quoted on the application form, many local residents have still needed to contact Edward for help.

After receiving reports that passport agency telephone lines were constantly engaged and the Post Office has been unable to guarantee processing within specified timescales, Edward has pressed the Home Office to ensure that a system is set up which will deal with his enquires quickly, often within the day. The system has already been successfully in use over the past weeks to great effect.

If a constituent is still concerned that they have not heard anything up to two weeks before they are due to travel then they should telephone or fax his constituency office on: telephone: 0181 288 0161/ fax: 0181 288 1090 quoting when they are due to travel, when they sent off their application and their passport agency reference number if available.

Edward commenting on the well publicised delays said,

"This is a nightmare scenario for many local families and businesses."

"I have had a number of calls from concerned individuals suffering due to the Governments’ lack of forward planning resulting in the shambolic situation at passport offices throughout the country."

"They have been negligent in not putting proper procedures into place even though they knew that a new computer system was due to come on line and the requirement to obtain passports for children would create a massive upsurge in demand."

"From the desperate calls, I have been receiving from my constituents I knew that I had to do something to help."

The massive queues witnessed at passport offices around the country are due to a combination of factors. A new computer system has just been introduced to deal with applications and hundreds of faults have been found with the system since it came into service. It is now also a requirement that parents have to gain passports for their young children, adding to the number of applications received during this year’s peak summer months.

ENDS.

Water meters

Issued by: Edward Davey MP
Embargo: Immediate, 15/7/99

MP warns Chief Executive of Thames Water to ‘Cut it Out’

Davey takes Chief Executive to task over water meter Installations.

After receiving a stream of complaints from constituents regarding Thames Water’s recent frenzy of water meter installations, Kingston’s Lib Dem MP, Edward Davey has written a scathing letter to the Chief Executive of Thames Water demanding he justifies his company’s policy and aggressive tactics.

The water regulator, Ofwat, has also expressed their concerns, although only minimal progress has been made. The regulator recently expressed its "reservations" regarding the guidelines used to fit new meters which it believes," Would make more sense and be more acceptable to customers if the scheme only included extensions that would potentially result in extra water use."

Edward Davey, commenting on the company’s tactics and policy, said:
"The company’s policy is grossly unfair and penalises householders who in many cases have used the same amount of water for decades.

"As for the tactics they have been using, well they‘re just not on.

"Although they are acting within the letter of the law, I have received many reports that their tactics have been heavy handed and at times even intimidatory.

"I am pressing for a full apology for those customers that have been upset by their actions and trying to ensure that their policy is implemented in a much fairer manner."

The recent increase in metering has been undertaken in order to avoid tighter guidelines set out in the new Water Bill which is due to gain Royal Assent shortly. The new Water Bill allows households who have just had a new water meter fitted to choose if they want to retain it after 12 months of service. Unfortunately, the current legislation passed by the previous Conservative Government allows Thames Water to fit meters to any property that has had a structural alteration to its property within the past 9 years even without their consent. Residents also do not have the right to request that it is then removed even if they are unhappy with the new billing system used.

Ends.

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