Member News
By Robert Halfon MP - 7th July 2010
Robert Halfon MP writes for ePolititx.com ahead of his Westminster Hall debate on traffic and the road network in Harlow.
With a public debt of nearly £900bn as a hangover from the last government, I understand that there will be less road projects, and that money must be targeted more effectively.
I hope to make the case for an extra junction (7a) on the M11, to alleviate congestion in Harlow and to promote economic growth.
That is why I strongly support the transport secretary, Philip Hammond's drive to get value for money, when he said (in the Andrew Marr show last Sunday) that improvements to the strategic road network must "focus very specifically on bottlenecks".
There is a strong argument for an additional junction on the M11, and such improvements could be made by removing the bottleneck in and out of Harlow.
At the moment Harlow has only one entrance to a motorway and similar towns usually have two or three and Basildon has four.
A new junction would also bring much-needed regeneration to one of the most deprived towns in the East of England. But fundamentally, this is about economic growth, higher tax receipts, and more jobs for the region.
The proposal to build an extra junction (7a) on the M11 is backed by every public sector body and major private business in the area, including BAA at Stansted Airport. Essex County Council has called it their "number one priority" for roads in Essex.
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.