MP 'amazed' by Blair's A64 Commons snub (From Gazette & Herald)

MP 'amazed' by Blair's A64 Commons snub

RYEDALE MP John Greenway is to seek an early meeting with the new Transport Minister in a bid for action on upgrading the A64 York to Scarborough road after being snubbed by Prime Minister Tony Blair in the House of Commons.

Mr Greenway says he was amazed that Mr Blair had been so dismissive when, at the first Prime Minister's Question Time since the General Election, the Ryedale MP told him there was an urgent need to turn the A64 into a road "fit for the 21st century".

Mr Blair had flown over the road on the eve of the May 5 election on his way to his final rallying meeting, which was held at Scarborough, and Mr Greenway asked him: "What message does the Prime Minister think his eve-of-poll flying visit gave to voters?

"Wasn't he advised that his journey by helicopter would be seen in sharp contrast to the everyday misery for motorists of long delays and traffic jams on the A64, which was the biggest local issue in the election?"

Mr Blair replied: "I will tell him that whatever the answers to Britain's transport problems, cutting the transport budget, which was at least the policy of his party before the election, is certainly not one of them."

Mr Greenway told the Gazette & Herald: "I was surprised at his reaction, especially as he did not even make mention of Lawrie Quinn, the former Labour MP for Scarborough and Whitby, which would have seemed appropriate."

Mr Greenway said he was anxious to "take the debate forward" on the upgrading of the A64. "Because he was able to fly to Scarborough, Mr Blair would have had no idea of the problems people have to endure on the A64."

He said that even the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) now recognised the value of improving the road and a Labour MP from West Yorkshire had supported him after his exchange with Mr Blair in the House.

"The Prime Minister just seemed to dismiss the A64 out of hand."

Now, Mr Greenway and the new Scarborough and Whitby MP Robert Goodwill, the Terrington farmer, are to make arrangements with the new Transport Minister to renew the campaign to improve the A64.

Mr Greenway said a first priority was to get improvements at each end of the Malton bypass to relieve the congestion in Malton and Norton, caused by heavy trucks thundering through the towns en route to the Humber or Malton Bacon Factory. "I intend stepping up the pressure for that work to be done as quickly as possible."

County Coun Mike Knaggs, a long-standing campaigner for the A64, said: "How many fatalities do we really need on this road before something is done to upgrade it? In the last four accidents, one was fatal and two were very serious. Are we in competition to qualify with fatalities before anybody takes notice of the state of the A64?

"I am very disappointed about the PM's reaction, but pleased that John Greenway is trying to do something about improving the road."

Updated: 10:50 Wednesday, June 01, 2005