Category: Wokingham and West Berkshire Issues

What is it about our train service providers? I have been told that the railway industry are going to remove the newspaper and coffee shop at the station in Wokingham this November, with no replacement until the new station is complete.

Many travellers like the service the shop provides. They want a coffee and a paper in the morning as they leave for work. I will write to these monopolists and ask them to think again. Not content with putting so many people in a traffic jam thanks to their chosen way of operating level crossings and putting ticket prices up so high for train travellers, now they wish to worsen the service further by removing a friendly service at Wokingham station. I presume it is because they do not provide it themselves.

A big thank you to Earley Conservatives for hosting an enjoyable evening on Saturday. Guests were treated to a range of great dishes and various wines to try. Food and wine largely took over from politics as the main interest. Conversation ranged freely. It also gave me a chance to catch up with some of the latest local news from our Councillors.

I attended the anti flood surgery at Wokingham Borough Council on Thursday 20th September.

I spoke to Thames Water about the need to renew pipes, to place new pipes in more accessible locations that do not require digging up the road to repair, and about flow management of the rivers.

I spoke to the Borough about their responsibilities to lead the anti flood work of our community, and to ensure that they and other riparian owners keep rivers, streams and ditches clear to allow the flow of water at times of high rainfall.

I spoke to the Environment Agency about the need for new water containment and improved channels for water flow, given the high level of development in recent decades in Wokingham and its impact on run off and flood incidence.

I reminded all of the need for schemes and maintenance work which tackle flood threats in vulnerable locations like the Emm banks in Wokingham and Winnersh, the Loddon flood area and Luckley Wood.

I would like to thank Phiala Mehring for her continuing work to ensure these authorities do have proper schedules for maintenance and are working on longer term solutions.

I attended the Get Active Berkshire meeting today to discuss how more people could be involved in sport and exercise. The theme was how the Olympic legacy could be kept alive.

We discussed a wide range of issues. Can more of the volunteers from the Olympic now volunteer to run local sports clubs and events?

Can the LEAs offer use of the school sports facilities during holidays and in the evenings, where this is not already happening?

Should there be more high profile Berkshire events, like the successful Berkshire School sports day?

What more support can be given to parents and teachers, encouraging young people to take up more sporting activities?

How can adults be helped to overcome a lack of confidence which can come from not having been involved in sport for many years?

Can we have some coaches to get people started who may not have  coaching qualifications but just like the chosen sport? Can we help more people become qualified coaches?

A lot of what is needed will be a mixture of  Sports Club and Council leadership and volunteer activity. I am happy to help where appropriate, and look forward to your views on what we should all do next.

       I was due to meet Justine Greening, Transport Secretary, to discuss Wokingham Station and our level crossing problems today. The reshuffle got in the way. I am pleased to report that I did have a meeting instead with the new Transport Secretary.

        We discussed the timing of the Wokingham Station development, where he seemed sympathetic to the wish for Network Rail to get on with it.

        We discussed the traffic congestion created by the three level crossings to the south of Wokingham, and the single railway bridge on the Finchampstead Road  which requires larger lorries to use the middle of the road. We also reviewed the safety issues at the Ufton Nervet crossing.

         I explained the Council’s idea of a new bridge crossing of the railway line to the east of the town. The Department confirmed that the Station level crossing now has the gates down against traffic for 21 minutes an hour, rising to 30 minutes an hour in rush hour. They saw the problems this causes with backed up traffic.

        I will keep you posted on the Department’s response now they have heard from me again about the problems the railway poses to transport in Wokingham, and the safety issues raised by level crossings. I am promised follow up from the meeting.

            I have been trying to find out again from Network Rail when they might carry out their promise to deliver a new station for Wokingham. 

          The latest response says ” I am sorry that the redevelopment of Wokingham station has been delayed. We hope to have the final approved technical design by early November, to start on site early in 2013, for the station building to be operational by the summer and to be finished on site by late summer 2013    ”

          I have also been offered another meeting on the vexed question of replacing level crossings with bridges or tunnels. I will also seek to renew my meeting with the Secretary of State on this issue, now that there is a new Secretary of State.

       I attended the three festivals in one on Elms Field on Sunday.  There was a good mixture of live entertainment, food and drink and various activities at other stalls. Congratulations to the girls of the Holt for raising money for charity with their cake stall, where you could buy some delicious cakes. Congratulations as well  to the organisers, who provided refreshment and entertainment for many Wokingham families over the bank holiday.

          I attended an EMAG meeting of Equitable Life policy holders in the Wokingham constituency, at their request. They set out their unhappiness about the way compensation claims are being handled, and about the level of compensation.

          I said I am happy to take up anyone’s case who still has received no compensation. The clearly stated aim of the government was to distribute compensation promptly, and people by now should have heard from those administering the system. They should email or write to me at the Commons, stating how far they have got, and their policy number(s).

          I am also willing to take up cases where people have received some compensation but they think it is too small, or do not understand how it has been calculated.

          I agreed to raise the general issue with the Minister of why the Financial Services Compensation Scheme did not apply to Equitable Life, and what the Treasury’s current thinking on this is, in the light of the Regulator’s conduct when the seriousness of the position had come to light. I will also ask if a clearer statement of the basis of calculation of the compensation can be provided.

             I met representatives of the National Joint Utilities Group today to discuss how Wokingham could in future be spared some of the road closures and disruption that utility works impose.

             I pointed out that where new development or redevelopment was taking place, it is possible to put all the utilities into an accessible conduit so that future maintenance and replacement can take place without having to dig up the road. As Wokingham is about to undergo major Town centre redevelopment, and as new housing is scheduled at four locations in the Borough, now is a good time to impose new standards for future convenience.

           I also reminded them that frequently one utility digs up the road, only for another to have to do the same in a similar place the following year. There are also cases of closing roads for long period, when there is no evening or week-end working. Can’t road access be restored when the contractors are not in situ?

            NJUG agreed with a lot of these points. They explained that they are working on ways of replacing and repairing pipes which do not require digging up the road, and on methods which entail smaller holes that can be bored and filled much more quickly to get what access is needed. It is possible to cover holes and trenches to re-open the road when no works are under way.  They do have a Best Practice Guide which recommends all utilities being asked if they can make use of a road opening when one is undertaking major works. They have a Code of Conduct which they like Councils and utilities to sign, which places emphasis on keeping more roads open more often.

                We both agreed to follow up with Wokingham over how the new developments could be used to assist in reducing future road works.

         Much of my correspondence from constituents comes in the form of standardised campaign emails about a given topic. I have in the past sent letters back in reply, once I have obtained the government’s formal response on the issue.

          Given the big increase in postage charges, I have decided that it would be lighter on the taxpayer if I normally replied to these by email only. In future where there is a high volume campaign email, and I have been contacted by email, I will only reply with emails. Currently the cut Air Passenger Duty is a high volume campaign, with some support for the campaign to keep petrol and diesel duty down.

         If any constituent would like a letter by reply I would be grateful if they would say so in their original email.