Andy Slaughter MP at the Chiswick Calendar party. Picture: Frank Noon
February 4, 2025
As many residents in Chiswick will already be aware, the consultation on Hogarth Roundabout has concluded and a consultation report has been produced. My office received lots of correspondence on this issue, and I know locally there have been strong feelings about the plans. I contributed to the consultation and was happy to read that the proposals for Church Street have now been scrapped.
I have been contacted by many constituents this week who are rightly concerned by the re-emerging plans for a third runway at Heathrow airport. I raised this in the Commons on Tuesday and again on Wednesday. My comments can be read here. There is no prospect of works going ahead for several years, the site is very difficult to develop and there are many less complex options around London should airport expansion be necessary. The cost to west London in terms of the environment, public health and traffic congestion make this no more attractive than previous proposals which have either been cancelled or put out to grass.
This week the transport minister reconvened the Hammersmith Bridge taskforce after 3 years of it lying dormant as the last government refused to let it meet or even answer enquiries from MPs. At the meeting we narrowed down the options for the future of the bridge, agreed to look at cheaper ways to repair it and to get up to date figures on the impact on traffic using other roads and bridges (inc Chiswick and Kew) in the area. We will meet again as soon as this information is assembled.
Last week I was delighted to attend the 10th anniversary of the Chiswick Calendar. At the event I was honoured present awards to those who have made an outstanding contribution to local life in Chiswick over the past year.
On Thursday evening I attended Hogarth Youth and Community Centre. It was a pleasure to visit the centre and see the work of the youth club in action. We had good discussions on funding for local youth clubs and I was pleased to meet the staff, users and trustees of this thriving and unique community facility now in its 70 th year
In Justice news, the Justice Committee held a pre-appointment hearing for the Chief Inspector of His Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate on Tuesday and endorsed the appointment of Anthony Rogers. As Chair, I wrote to Lord Ponsonby about reforming the law for cohabitating couples, making it fairer for those who are unmarried after separation. Following the resignation of former Chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, a formal request was made to the Lord Chancellor this week to allow my committee pre-appointment scrutiny of the post.
Best wishes,
Andy
andy@andyslaughter.com
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