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Sir Bert Massie CBE was a powerful campaigner for the rights of disabled people for more than 4 decades. He was instrumental in persuading ministers to set up the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) over 30 years ago and in making it a statutory body in the 1985 Transport Act. As a founder member of DPTAC Bert served on the Committee for 16 years and was a key driving force in building up the Committee from scratch.
He played a crucial role in ensuring that parliament passed the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA). In the lobbying work that led to the DDA he worked with the department and the transport industries to develop and set standards for accessibility, and secured the access regulations formula which is the basis of the current provision of accessible public transport.
It’s rare to be able to say of somebody that they changed people’s lives, but Bert did exactly that, as a highly effective lobbyist and campaigner, and in taking full advantage of the unique role DPTAC plays in giving expert, evidence-based advice to government.
Bert’s legacy is tangible. And those who knew Bert will know that he always worked with a real sense of purpose, a focus on outcomes that would improve the lives of disabled people, and always with an underlying sense of fun.
He was a great champion for disabled people and will be incredibly missed. All of us on DPTAC are acutely aware that we are standing on Bert’s shoulders and are grateful that DPTAC has such strong foundations to build on. It is very sad to think that Bert is no longer with us.
Transport Minister Paul Maynard said:
Sir Bert was a tremendous supporter of accessibility in transport and leaves behind a proud legacy.
From the role he played in convincing the government to form DPTAC to his work on the committee over a 16 year period, he was a leading campaigner.
This government will strive to continue Sir Bert’s great work in this area.
Burton-upon-Trent residents will have a chance to learn more about the benefits of the Environment Agency’s multi-million pound flood scheme improvement work at a series of drop-in sessions next month.
The planned works to the town’s flood defences will see upgrades to the 9km of existing defences that already protect more than 7,000 homes and businesses in the town. The work will also see a further 3,358 properties benefit from increased protection.
The work is due to start in early 2019, with a completion date in early 2021 and will enable further transformation of the town centre to allow it to become more sustainable.
Drop-in sessions are being held at a number of locations across the town where Environment Agency staff will be on hand to discuss the scheme as well as to spread awareness about the need to be more flood resilient.
Mark Swain, who heads the Environment Agency’s Staffordshire flood risk team, said:
These sessions are a really important means for us to explain our work as well as to listen to residents. We would really like as many people as possible to attend one of our sessions so that they can discuss the exciting plans we have in place for Burton.
Sessions are being held as follows:
Planned improvement work set to benefit over 3,000 additional properties in the area.
Burton-upon-Trent residents will have a chance to learn more about the benefits of the Environment Agency’s multi-million pound flood scheme improvement work at a series of drop-in sessions next month.
The planned works to the town’s flood defences will see upgrades to the 9km of existing defences that already protect more than 7,000 homes and businesses in the town. The work will also see a further 3,358 properties benefit from increased protection.
The work is due to start in early 2019, with a completion date in early 2021 and will enable further transformation of the town centre to allow it to become more sustainable.
Drop-in sessions are being held at a number of locations across the town where Environment Agency staff will be on hand to discuss the scheme as well as to spread awareness about the need to be more flood resilient.
Mark Swain, who heads the Environment Agency’s Staffordshire flood risk team, said:
These sessions are a really important means for us to explain our work as well as to listen to residents. We would really like as many people as possible to attend one of our sessions so that they can discuss the exciting plans we have in place for Burton.
Sessions are being held as follows:
An enforcement undertaking (EU) has been agreed with Anglian Water after the company polluted Houghton Brook, Cambridgeshire with sewage.
Around 150 fish died when sewage from Ilex Road Pumping Station in St Ives was pumped into the water system for 10 hours via the emergency overflow.
The overflow was mainly caused by excessive levels of un-flushable material/rag blocking the pump, which was a known issue at the works. Contributing factors included a second pump being out of service during the incident and the failure of an alarm.
At the time of the pollution the water company tankered the watercourse to prevent pollution travelling further downstream and 2 days later the stream was running clear.
Anglian Water has since replaced equipment at the pumping station including a pump that can better cope with high levels of rag.
The Environment Agency accepted the offer by the water company to put right any damage caused by the pollution and to donate to an environmental charity.
As part of the EU, Anglian Water has donated £100,000 to the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire to benefit the local environment and also paid the Environment Agency’s costs.
Jeremy Hay, Environment Agency officer, said:
Enforcement undertakings allow those who commit offences to restore the environment and to take steps to prevent a recurrence.
When appropriate, they allow a quicker resolution than a prosecution and help offenders who are prepared to take responsibility for their actions to put things right voluntarily working with their local communities”.
Formal sample results taken after the incident in September 2014 showed that sewage had polluted approximately 635m of the stream.
The EU was offered in relation to an offence of pollution under section 4 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.
It was accepted in March 2017 and the undertaking was completed on 30 May 2017.