Sir,
As the formal election campaign was finally beginning last week, I was discussing the next step in my Dual The A1 Campaign with our Northumbrian police. Our conversation covered the inconsistencies that I have uncovered in the safety data that, I believe, is unfairly harming the case for upgrading the A1 north of Morpeth. It was fateful that, even as our meeting was getting underway, the Lib Dem national party were publicising a policy that would make dualling the A1 impossible. This contradiction perfectly frames the choice facing the Berwick-upon-Tweed constituency in this election.
The Lib Dems announced that they would cut £3 billion from the roads budget, should they be elected. This cut would fund rail improvements. The favouring of railways over roads dismisses the local geography of rural North Northumberland. It ignores the fact that because of our large and mostly rural constituency, the car is the only option for many of us.
Just as significantly, the Lib Dem plan to call an end to road building highlights the limited influence of our incumbent Lib Dem MP. The shocking state of the A1 is the single greatest obstacle to prosperity in our constituency. Yet, after almost four decades in Parliament, Sir Alan has been unable get his own Party to defend the roads budget. Where was he when the Lib Dems decided to stop building roads?
Even after a commitment is made to favour railways over roads, North Northumberland loses out again. For the last year, our Lib Dem MP has been championing the prospect of a reopened Belford station. However, Belford station does not make it onto the list of stations that the Lib Dems want to improve. Instead, the two Northumberland stations named in their plans are for Ashington and Blyth. I assume that it is no coincidence that these are two seats that the Lib Dems are trying to win from Labour at this election. Was Sir Alan in the room when it was decided that South East Northumberland deserved two railway stations, but the North not even one?
Sir Alan’s recent leaflet asked the question, ‘Who will deliver for you?’. The answer is not Sir Alan, because North Northumberland is simply not on the Lib Dem map for the next five years. We need to ask our MP why. Our constituency will be stuck in the slow lane unless we elect a new Conservative MP at the heart of a new Government.
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