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'Ever Forward'

16 March 2009

My office in Parliament has a very fine view of a large and rather ugly brick wall, about 30 feet away. Creative estate agents, looking for something nice to say about it, would probably emphasise that you can glimpse the river Thames from the right angle. But only if you're willing to clamber onto a window seat and get a crick in your neck.

One thing that's perfectly visible, however, is the London Eye. The giant ferris wheel rises elegantly above the ugly brick wall and is still hugely popular with visitors and Londoners alike, nine years after it was first built to celebrate the Millenium. I love it too; I can watch the tourists watching London and having a great time.

So I was delighted with last weeks 'double whammy' of good news for Weston seafront. The Council (bless them) got it right by approving two vitally important projects: the rebuild of the Grand Pier and the new Weston Wheel – our very own version of the London Eye.

These two projects won't solve all Weston's seafront problems on their own, but they're a great start. Taken with the rebuilt promenade and the new Tropicana (if you like it) it's starting to feel as though Weston is starting to move up in the world.

There are lots of other issues which still have to be dealt with, of course. Junction 21 is still a nightmare, and so are the Government's plans to build thousands more houses without the roads, rail and community services which we will need to make them into sustainable communities instead of dormitories.

But, for the first time in years, it feels as though Weston is on the way up. The town's motto is 'Ever Forward'. I think our Victorian forbearers would feel we're living up to it once more.