Newcastle-under-Lyme MP Aaron Bell has voiced his support of lobbying against plans for a bus gate on Basford Bank.
He spoke out about the plans ordered by the Government to deal with illegals levels of nearby air pollution (NO2) during a Meet the MP event organised by Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce.
Daily Focus has previously reported that the scheme would stop almost all private motorists* travelling westbound on the A53 Etruria Road (Basford Bank) from the A500 junction towards Newcastle-under-Lyme during rush hours.
The Chamber has written to Government ministers raising major concerns over the plans and the impact it could have on businesses, and Stoke-on-Trent City Council has commissioned a report into what the consequences of the bus gate would be.
During the event on Friday, it was mentioned that early indications show that the air quality could sort itself out within a few years, bringing the levels back down to an acceptable amount thanks to schemes such as the recently opened Etruria Valley Link Road.
Mr Bell, who has represented the constituency since 2019, branded the proposals part of “poorly thought-out legislation” and said he had also raised the issue with the Government.
He said: “I am firmly opposed to the bus gate and the disruption it will cause for something that is likely going to be fixed anyway.”
The Chamber event was held at Knights plc in Newcastle-under-Lyme and was one of a series being held allowing members to meet with their local MP to bring about improvements to the local economy.
Mr Bell opened the meeting by telling those in attendance he is from a business background himself.
The MP once worked at Stoke-on-Trent-based betting company Bet365 and also co-founded a financial technology firm in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
He said: “People don’t know the variety of firms we have here. It is part of our job as MPs to celebrate businesses and job creation.”
The event also saw discussions about improvements to the A50, A500 and Junction 15 of the M6, which the MP described as “the right thing to do” and an “accelerator for the whole region.”
He also said he would be “very happy” to support a proposal being drawn up to open a new rail station at Etruria Valley, close to the newly-opened Etruria Valley Link Road, in a part of Stoke-on-Trent near to his constituency.
Other topics on the agenda included Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s Local Plan and an update from the Chamber on the Local Skills Improvement Plan.
- Full details of the bus gate proposal, along with which vehicles would be affected, can be found here.
