“Three pieces of excellent news on new investment in roads and infrastructure this month. The first is about the A34, the bane of many of our lives. After months of campaigning by myself, local MPs, councils, LEPs and the A34 Action Group, the government has agreed to fund some much needed safety improvements. Upcoming changes will include improved laybys and digital signage, which will change depending on traffic flow. A new sign has also been recommended, to make it clearer to HGV’s where they are not allowed to overtake. Removal of vegetation from junctions was another recommendation and this will be improved.
The second piece of news concerns support for new infrastructure for the new homes being built in our area – an issue that is raised with me regularly. The government has announced up to £150 million to build much needed bridges, roundabouts and roads and £60 million to support new affordable homes. In total the government has committed up to £215 million of funding.
Finally, I was very pleased to open the Harwell Relief Road last month. The road will provide a route from housing development west of Didcot at Great Western Park and Valley Park to Harwell Oxford Campus and support delivery of planned housing growth. The road will make the journey to work easier for the five thousand people who work at Harwell Campus and I am particularly pleased that it will relieve the pressure of through traffic on Harwell village.
Other news – the National Lottery tell me that they are funding 4 projects in Wantage worth £30,905. Well done to all those who applied for funding, you can still do so at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/funding.
Last month I met with Fyfield and Tubney parish councils about the A420, and visited local social enterprise Maymessy in West Challow, which offers gardening, kitchen craft and family-style sit-down meals and picnics for disadvantaged children and volunteer groups. I received 523 items of correspondence (emails and letters) from constituents. Subjects raised with me included local infrastructure, Brexit and new data protection rules.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any pressing issues that you would like help with. You can contact me on any matter at the House of Commons, SW1A 0AA, dicksonce@parliament.uk or 01235 768 888. Email is the quickest and most reliable way to get in touch, as I keep a very close eye on my emails and can reply very quickly. Details of my activities in Parliament can be read on my website, https://www.vaizey.com. I also send out occasional general interest emails about developments in the Wantage and Didcot Constituency. You can sign up here: http://bit.ly/EdVaizeyMP