As expected, frontrunner Liz Truss has won the Conservative Party leadership contest and replaced Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. She has already promised to announce a plan to deal with soaring energy bills and the long-term supply issues within a week. Prices rose sharply when economies began to return to normal after Covid. Russia has also used gas as a political weapon in the war against Ukraine by significantly reducing its energy exports to the continent. This caused prices to skyrocket. The UK Government has outlined a package of measures worth £37bn to support people on the lowest incomes who are struggling with the cost of living. I accept it will not be possible to compensate everyone for the huge increases, but we want to do everything we can to help households and there will be further announcements soon. I very much look forward to working with Liz and the new cabinet, which is being announced as I write. My main priorities are to make sure Wales continues to benefit from the hundreds of millions of pounds spent on growth deals, improvements to our railway structure and post-Brexit funding, which is already exceeding what we used to get from the EU.
I am pleased to be supporting Network Rail’s nomination for Chepstow to be included in the Department for Transport’s Access for All Programme. It is vitally important that our railway stations are fully accessible to everyone. These proposals will provide an obstacle free route to and between platforms, improving access for wheelchair users, people with prams or those with heavy luggage. Chepstow has grown in size over the years but its infrastructure has been badly neglected. The Access for All Programme will bring significant benefits to residents of the area, as well as the many visitors and commuters travelling through Monmouthshire – with the wider aim of reducing traffic congestion, tackling air pollution and increasing the town’s prosperity and connectivity as the Gateway to Wales. We have already seen a successful funding bid to deliver step-free access at Abergavenny Railway Station and I look forward to hearing if Chepstow will also be selected for the scheme.
While work is not always immediately obvious when travelling across the M48 Severn Bridge, I understand from National Highways that the essential programme of cable inspections is progressing well. The next full weekend closure is scheduled to take place from 19:00 on 30 September to 06:00 on 3 October. I understand this closure is to lower the inspection gantries from the downstream side and move them to the upstream side. You can read a full update here: https://sway.office.com/opA0lCPGfH8MAwKT?ref=Link&loc=play
*Published in the Monmouthshire Beacon on 5 September 2022 and Abergavenny Chronicle on 7 September 2022*