Lobbying on Ventura improvements
With the issues of congestion around Drayton Manor Park in Fazeley easing because of the work I managed to secure on traffic management and infrastructure improvements, attention is now turning to the problem of queues at the Ventura Retail Park near Tamworth.
It’s been a major issue ever since the development of the shopping centre because the road infrastructure just wasn’t adequate and over recent years it’s been getting worse and worse as traffic increases. And with my Party now in control of Staffordshire it’s a great opportunity to lobby for some investment in the area to ease the problems.
It’s early days, only a week into the new Administration, but the newly elected County Councillors for Tamworth and I are now setting to work on lobbying for a capital scheme for Ventura Park. It won’t be quick but, as promised, we’ll give it our best shot.
We’re arranging the first meeting with officials on the subject next month so I’ll write again about how we get on then.
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6 comments
Hi Matthew, I am thrilled to read in The Mercury of your landslide re-election. You are always high profile – but for all the right reasons. Congratulations.
Stephen
Congratulations Matthew on such a huge majority and the new job. I hope this doesn’t mean that we will not have time to pay attention to the needs of the people who voted for you. I ask this question because the Tamworth links on your recent blog post point to Tamworth in Australia. Here is some text from one of the links…Tamworth is a beautiful, vibrant and prosperous regional city of approximately 500km north of Sydney and 600km south of Brisbane; the city covers 184 sq km and is home to nearly 36,000 people. Tamworth is the “capital city” of the New England North West region of NSW, serving around 182,000 people.
Your majority was impressive but I doubt if any people from Australia did actually vote for you and I don’t think Brussels extends that far yet Matthew so I’d like some indication that you still intend to get out and spend time with the people who did vote for you – and the others – in our local communities. Its the only way to know what we really think.
If you don’t the risk is that we all vote for an Australian next time round!
John, oops!!!
I’d like to say it was the Staffordshire climate which confused me with that of New South Wales.
But alas, the webmasters who look after Tamworth tourism appear to have slipped in the search engine ratings instead and my assumption that ‘our’ Tamworth would be number one as usual was wrong. I’ve now put it right!! Let’s hope in an Ashes year it’s a one off!
And just to put your mind at rest, it’s been the most hectic week I can ever remember but, no, I’ve no intention of taking the focus off the communities and people I represent.
My new Cabinet role of changing Social Services and Health in Staffordshire for the better is a huge challenge with big responsibilities which I relish but my passion for working with, and for, local people in the Lichfield Rural East area remains as strong as ever. I guarantee that!
Mr Ellis… the situation around the Manor Park is much better thanks to the work you have made happen. It has been noticed and neighbours are grateful. Thank you.
I’m delighted that your attention is now turning to the retail park which from the start has had shambolic roads around it. That problem is also the cause of congestion sometimes in Fazeley and the shops there must suffer because it takes so long to get in and out.
Thank you again and I hope you are successful in lobbying for the work to be done. It is good to see a politician that actually sticks to his word and delivers proper results. Good luck.
Good for you, Matthew, it’s about time someone took a long hard look at the road layout in Ventura Park and the surrounding area. Yhe genius that planned the existing system obviously forgot that stores the size of ASDA need replenishing on a very regular basis – whilst waiting in a queue where are the 40-foot arctics supposed to park? Why are the access roads so poorly planned? Why are car park exits so poor that waits of 30 minutes or more are commonplace?
Regards,
Mike Fairweather
I have been meaning to write for some time regarding the traffic issues on the A4091 – Drayton Manor Park. I have read your comments and I’m sure the meetings you have had with the park will produce results, although as a regular user of this road, I’m still waiting. It takes me 25 minutes in the morning to drive to work and 50 minutes to get home on the same route.
When I drive home the exodus from Drayton Manor is more or less over with, although the Business Park still spews out cars and lorries at this time. The point I’m coming to is this. With all the traffic problems, why did Lichfield District Council give the go ahead to build a 150 bed hotel? With the additional development plans for Fazeley, Tolson’s Mill, Goulds Wood Yard, The Boatyard and lately the confirmed development of the Laurels (the latter was a delegated decision – in other words our elected local representatives didn’t represent the views of the local people), we are looking at potentially an additional 350 vehichles needing access to the area. Traffic chaos – you aint’t seen nothing yet! Lichfield District Council seems to look at the additional Council Tax revenue they can get for these developments and doesn’t really want to invest any money in Fazeley – hey we’re not exactly in their backyard – out of site out of mind.
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