South West Bedfordshire MP Andrew Selous proposed the de-trunking of the A5 and an HGV ban through the village of Hockliffe today, to deal with the severe increase of traffic which has had a very unwelcome effect on Hockliffe residents.
The exchange in Parliament was as follows:
Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire)
Can we have an urgent debate on providing relief to communities whose lives and homes are being ruined by inappropriately routed traffic? The residents of Hockliffe have put up with days of really unacceptable disturbance. They want the A5 going through the village de-trunked and a heavy goods vehicle ban, and this is entirely achievable as an acceptable alternative route exists.
Andrea Leadsom: Leader of the House of Commons
I am sorry to hear about my hon. Friend’s problems with his A5. I have similar problems with an A5 in my constituency, and I am sure that all hon. Members suffer considerable problems with particular roads. The Government are investing £15 billion in the strategic road network between 2015 and 2021 to improve its performance for users and those who are affected by it, such as, as he points out, the residents of Hockliffe. If he was not able to raise this in Transport questions earlier, I encourage him to seek an Adjournment debate, or if he wants to write to me, I can take up his particular question with the Department for Transport.
Speaking afterwards Andrew Selous said
“I have followed up the Leader of the House’s offer to write to her so she can formally raise this issue with the Department for Transport and I am also working closely with Hockliffe Parish Council, Central Bedfordshire Council and Highways England.”