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Author Archives: GovWorldMag

It’s hugely concerning to see increase in number of children killed or injured in road collisions – Daniel Zeichner

Statistics released today by the Department for Transport show there has been an increase in the number of road users either killed or seriously injured. The number of killed or seriously injured casualties (KSIs) increased by 6 per cent last year – to 25,160. By DfT’s own admission, this change is statistically significant.

Between July and September 2016, the change was even more pronounced – KSI casualties increased by 8 per cent when compared to the same period in 2015.

All road user groups saw an increase in the number of people killed or seriously injured: car occupants, pedestrians, motorcyclists and pedal cyclists. There were also 2,070 children killed or seriously injured in the year ending September 2016 – an increase of 8 per cent.

Daniel Zeichner MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Minister, responding to statistics released today by the Department of Transport, said:

“These statistics are worrying. We want everyone to feel safe on the roads, whether they are walking, in a car, on a bike, on a bus, or using a motorcycle. It’s hugely concerning to see the increase in the number of children killed or injured in road collisions.

“Funding cuts to the police by this Tory Government have seen resources being diverted from road policing which inhibits the effective enforcement of penalties for dangerous drivers. If we are to make our roads safer, it’s crucial that road safety targets are reinstated and that police forces have the resources they need.”

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Labour • • •

Only Labour will rewrite the rules of our economy and deliver the investment needed to rebuild and transform our country – John McDonnell

John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on today’s growth forecast from the Bank of England, said:

“While we welcome today’s growth forecasts, projections for wage growth in coming years have been cut. This will come as little surprise to those whose incomes are still below where they were ten years ago as a result of a rigged economy under the Tories.

“Yesterday the Resolution Foundation warned of the worst period of income growth for middle and low earners since the 1960s. After seven years of Tory failure, there is little sign of an end to the pressure on living standards for most of the population.”

“Only Labour will rewrite the rules of our economy and deliver the investment needed to rebuild and transform our country so that no one and no community is left behind.”

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Labour • • •

Update from the Environment Agency

I have received the following update from the Environment Agency:

Maintenance programme

  • In 2015/16 we carried out river maintenance at 15 locations in your constituency. This work took place along 14.5km of rivers including the Loddon, Swallowfield Ditch, Emm Brook and the Kennet. It included removing obstructions, tree and shrub maintenance and carrying out selective weed and vegetation clearance. In 2016 / 17 we are carrying out a similar maintenance programme. The attached map shows the main locations and types of work we’re doing.

Emm Brook and South Wokingham Distributor Road

  • We have been engaging with Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) over the design of the South Wokingham Distributor Road (SWDR) since the early planning stages, and we will continue to work with WBC as the plans progress. The aim is that the SWDR reduces downstream flood risk from the Emm Brook, notably in locations which have historically been affected by river flooding. The developer anticipates completing the design for the relief road and residential development this calendar year with a view to start construction of the different elements of the scheme in 2018 and 2019.

Planning consultations and permitting

  • Since April 2016 we have commented on 78 planning applications within Wokingham. In line with our remit our responses ensured that the layout of development sites, where there is a risk of flooding from rivers, is appropriate; for example, siting dwellings where there is a low risk. Redevelopment does occur within floodplains and in these situations we provide advice so that floor levels are set above flood levels. In the vast majority of cases the local planning authority will take our advice on any flood risk objections. However if planning permission, for a major application, is given against our advice and the effects of flood risk are significant, we would use a call in process (through the Secretary of State) to reconsider whether planning permission should be granted. We did not call in any applications in 2016 in Wokingham.

Swallowfield Temporary Defence Deployment Plan

  • In 2016 the Government funded 32km of additional temporary barriers nationally (bringing our total national stock to 40km) to protect local communities during flooding. We have a draft deployment plan for Swallowfield where our assessments show there is potential to protect the community. We are consulting with partners and the community to finalise the arrangemen

Appraisals for future flood risk improvements

  • Our future programme for permanent flood defences includes Swallowfield and Lower Earley. We will appraise whether options such as flood walls and embankments are viable in these locations. River modelling is needed to make these assessments and we will test these options once the modelling is available. We will have the outcomes from the appraisal in autumn 2018.

Local Partnership Meetings

  • The Berkshire Flood Partnership is made up of all Berkshire Lead Local Flood Authorities, Thames Water and ourselves. The next meeting is on 7 March 2017. The meeting is chaired by Cllr Jesse Grey of Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

We also meet with the Loddon Valley Residents Association and Loddon Basin Flood Action Group

Map1

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John Redwood MP • • •