Peter
Viggers, MP for the Gosport constituency, has today criticised
the Government’s decision not to go ahead with funding
for the South Hampshire Rapid Transit Scheme.
In statement made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of
State for Transport yesterday, the Government announced that
the costs of the scheme were too high and that requests to
reinstate the proposals for the SHRT scheme would not be
supported.
Peter spoke against the decision in a Westminster Hall debate
on the subject this morning.
Afterwards, he said, “I deplore the Government’s
announcement not to reinstate the scheme. As I said in the
debate, the Government has consistently encouraged local
authorities to pursue integrated transport plans, and specifically
Rapid Transit. A great amount of time and of taxpayers’ money
has been spent in the careful development of these plans.
Now, after a protracted delay and numerous questions in the
House requesting a decision, the Government has decided to
come out with this announcement on the eve of a debate on
the subject.
“When the Scheme was considered by a Public Inquiry,
I made the first speech in favour of the SHRT. We all appreciated
the fact that the scheme was for long-term benefit of future
generations, and supported it accordingly.
”I am appalled that the Government has seen fit to encourage continued
work on the scheme, only to wilfully reject it at this late stage.” |
