5 Missions for a Better Britain

The Tories have presided over thirteen years of short-term sticking plaster politics. This has damaged Britain and impacted people across the country. We needs a mission-driven government and only Labour can step-up and deliver.

In February, Keir Starmer set out Labour’s plan to tackle the biggest issues facing Britain. The scale of these challenges is vast and the ambition of our missions is set to meet them head on.

Since I was elected in 2016 I have heard from more and more residents who are experiencing the deep impact of Tory rule. Only Labour will offer real change to their lives and begin to rebuild our country.

Moonshine Lane Burst Water Main

I have continued to follow up on the impact of the burst water main on Moonshine Lane. My team and local councillors visited to check on residents after reports that repairs were still outstanding.

I have also raised concerns with the Government, the Environment Agency and with Ofwat, as I am concerned about the precarious nature of our water infrastructure – particularly in light of this incident and the major incident in Stannington and Malin Bridge.

I will continue to follow up on this matter and welcome Labour’s plans to introduce stronger regulation and enforcement of water companies.

Support for Taxi Drivers

Following the introduction of the Government-mandated Clean Air Zone in Sheffield, I have been contacted by many taxi drivers who are concerned about their ability to bring their fleet up to the compliant standards. In putting forward the scheme the Government have not provided enough funding for grants to help people get compliant vehicles. I have written to the Minister for Decarbonisation to raise these concerns and call for comprehensive ways of supporting drivers to upgrade their vehicles.

Casework Corner

Over the last month, my team and I have opened 394 new cases, helping people with their issues and concerns. The most common issues raised with me were: housing issues, and local issues – such as litter, roads and pavements.

Labour’s Shadow Roads Minister

ServCity – Autonomous mobility

Last month, I visited ServCity, a research programme developing technology to deliver wider accessibility of autonomous vehicles. The project brings together key partners to develop this technology, make it safe and accessible to transform our transport system. Autonomous technology is already playing a large role in many industries and it is set to do so in the transport sector. As Shadow Minister for Roads, this was an invaluable opportunity to learn more about this emerging technology.

Meetings with Stakeholders

I have continued to meet with various stakeholders. A key drive for me continues to be developing Labour’s understanding of the challenges for rolling out charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. I have held several meetings about this. I have also met with other groups, such as Ringgo who manage car parking cashless payment, the Office for Rail and Roads to discuss smart motorway safety, and with Living Streets, a charity that promotes walking in our local neighbourhoods.

Transport Questions

ncreasing the proportion of electric vehicles on our streets is crucial to delivering on our commitment to achieve net-zero. However, charging infrastructure is lagging as a result of this government’s lack of ambition.

This month at Transport Questions I highlighted another failure of the Conservatives to develop this transition. UK car manufacturing has slumped to a 66 year low. Not only are they facing supply chain issues due to delays at the port of Dover, they are also facing uncertainty due to government delay in publishing the zero-emission vehicle mandate. This has left manufacturers and other businesses in the sector in limbo.

I asked the Minister when the mandate was due to be published so that businesses can begin to work within that structure. Underneath all the bluster about how strong the UK car manufacturing industry is, he declined the opportunity to give manufacturers the certainty they are calling for and offered no date for when the mandate would be published.