Arriving soon - artist impression of Chelmsford's second railway station
New Station now on Track
It’s great to be able to share the excellent news that the Chancellor has approved £218m of infrastructure funding for Chelmsford.
This funding will help deliver Beaulieu Park station and a North East Bypass connecting the A12 at Boreham to the A131 at Great Leighs. This will mean fewer vehicles travelling into Chelmsford which will alleviate pressure at the Army and Navy, along White Hart Lane and at many other local junctions.
The original station plan was a two platform design which would add to congestion on the main line. The new plans include a passing loop so that fast trains can overtake stopping services, which will mean more trains can use the entire Great Eastern Main Line network.
A limit is in place so that no more than 2,500 homes can be built at Beaulieu and Northeast Chelmsford without the station.
Chelmsford’s funding package is the largest successful bid in the Country. The project was led by Essex County Council following my campaign, along with Cllr John Spence and Cllr Neil Gulliver.
I have now written to the Transport Secretary asking for the delivery of this vital infrastructure project to be accelerated.
On the beat with Police Commissioner Roger Hirst
More police on our streets
You may have noticed more police out and about in Chelmsford. 368 additional police officers have been added to the Essex force. With more to come!
I have been campaigning with fellow Essex MPs and our Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst for these additional officers.
Chelmsford Local Policing Team's “C Shift” have won a national award as the country’s best local response team. The Commissioner and I recently joined the new Chelmsford City Centre team on patrol.
Fighting knife crime, drugs and antisocial behaviour are all priorities for our local police. Please do report any incidents you witness.
My campaign with local County Councillors means that the Army and Navy replacement is now a top priority
Army and Navy Update
Thanks to the lobbying I have been doing alongside Essex County Council, the Transport Secretary has given the green light to fast track plans for a long term solution to the Army and Navy.
The Army and Navy Task Force which was set up last October has already shortlisted eight different potential solutions. Specialist engineers are now working on these alongside preparing a bid for funding.
The County Council is also urgently prioritising a raft of mitigation measures to reduce congestion at the roundabout during the planning and construction phases.
This is an urgent priority and a rapidly developing situation. I have another meeting with engineers and councillors next week. Please do follow my Facebook page for updates.
New A&E procedures mean ambulances can bring patients into the hospital faster
Good News for Broomfield Hospital
Plans to improve specialist services at Broomfield, Basildon and Southend hospitals are moving ahead.
The first phase involves vascular, urology, radiology and orthopaedic services. Around 2,500 patients per year will benefit from improved access to care, waiting less time for treatment and fewer delays in accessing specialist emergency care. Increased investment is going into A&E services at Broomfield which I and Councillor John Spence continue to campaign to protect.
I visited the team at Broomfield’s emergency village to see the improvements. Nearly 300 new nurse recruits are coming on board to boost the hospital staff.
The increased resources are part of the £20 billion additional funding going into the NHS nationally.
More Doctors Training in Chelmsford
The first year of the Medical School at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford has been hugely successful. 100 students are already in training to become doctors. Places for this autumn’s intake have been heavily oversubscribed.
Fun on the River
The River Chelmer is a beautiful part of our City’s environment. I recently joined members of the Chelmsford Canoe Club on the river.
Did you know that members of our local canoe club compete at international level? – Do go along and try it!
Thank you to our Doctors and Nurses
The Staff at Broomfield help us in Chelmsford every day. Together with volunteers from Rapid Relief Team, I helped serve a special BBQ summer lunch at the hospital to say thank you for everything they do for us.
Safer Cycling to School.
It is now possible to walk or cycle safely all the way from Chelmer Village and North Springfield to Beaulieu School following the creation of a new pedestrian and cycle path in Beaulieu Park and upgrades to other routes. Thanks to Cllr John Spence for making this happen.
Summer Survey.
I have been doing a summer survey. It is really helpful for me to have feedback before we return to Westminster. It only takes a couple of minutes to complete and I would really appreciate hearing from you. You can find it here,https://www.vickyford.uk/summer-survey.
