Transport

Read Anne Marie’s views in her weekly column; an advertisement sponsored by Conservative supporters.

Integrated public transport

What Teignbridge lacks is an integrated transport network. In Newton Abbot the bus and train stations are at different ends of the town – and most buses run nowhere near the train station! Traffic in the town centre is unbearable at times and it’s important that we develop and implement Devon County Council’s infrastructure plan. This will give us better transport links so that we can cater for more affordable housing and attract business.

A better bus service

Apart from the number 2, which runs from Newton Abbot to Exeter, many of our bus services are infrequent – places like Stokeinteignhead are only serviced twice a week, on a Wednesday and a Friday. And the last bus to Ipplepen is at 5.50pm! Rural bus services should be responsive to local need, like the successful rural transport schemes on the continent.

Of course one of our biggest problems is the lack of a proper bus terminus in Newton Abbot – the current location is far from ideal. This is something that must be addressed – and soon. If we could sort out timetabling and connections we might begin to move some way to reducing the number of car journeys and improve our carbon footprint.

Better rail services

Our rail services are overcrowded and particularly in the holiday season, you can be lucky to get a seat. But while First Great Western and others would like to buy more rolling stock – this is being rationed by the government. Such micro-management is stopping improvements to services – it just can’t go on like this.

How many of us have faced missing trains because of rail work repairs overrunning? Quite a lot of us. Network Rail who is responsible for these works seems oblivious. Network Rail must be held more accountable and work better with the train companies to stop this happening.

And we need to deal with winter weather

We have to look at coping better with the winter weather. I have asked for, and Devon County Council has undertaken a review of gritting arrangements in the last cold snap. But the real problem is that the government has allowed stocks of salt to dwindle and has forced local authorities to use less and less salt. We are now largely reliant on just two salt suppliers – that was never going to be viable and that must change.

Pensions
A number of people have been in touch regarding my recent article on pensions which highlights just what an important issue this is. The figures quoted are based on the figures published by the Office for National Statistics Pensions Trends (www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1274) and the Department for Works and Pensions on their website. The sad fact is that there are many pensioners on incomes well below this amount. That is why going forward we need to raise the basic state pension in line with earnings.