Article For Folkestone Herald and Kentish Express

9 June 2005

I share the widespread disappointment in the decision of the Shepway Primary Care Trust to close the Edinburgh and Fitton Wards at the Royal Victoria Hospital. These wards have seen countless local people benefit from rehabilitation, often after a lengthy illness, in these wards and then continue on the road to recovery. So it is sad to see them go.

The Trust says that rehabilitation can now be provided more effectively in the community – either at home or at units like Broadmeadow in Lucy Avenue. And it is of course true that if that really is true we must move with the times.

My concern has been that these alternative arrangements would turn out less rather than more effective. That is why I asked for the decision to close to be postponed until we could be sure that these alternative arrangements are in place and really would work.

Closure of the wards is due to take place in November or December – far sooner than I would have liked. I shall be keeping a close watch on the provision of these alternative facilities. Please let me know of your experiences.

Nationally, the headlines have been grabbed by the Government’s proposals to introduce road pricing. A number of questions arise.

Why wasn’t this plan produced before the General Election? What guarantees will there be that this will not be used as yet another stealth tax? Will the technology work? Are there implications for civil liberties? Will it simply lead to a lot more traffic on roads that pass through local communities rather than the motorways?

These are all legitimate questions. Yet something does need to be done to deal with traffic congestion. I believe that where local conditions justify it, new bypasses should be built and existing roads improved. But that alone is unlikely to be enough to cope with ever increasing number of cars on our roads. So we should take these proposals seriously and examine their implications.

I would be very interested in your views. Write to me at the House of Commons, London SW1A OAA or email to howardm@parliament.uk Let’s have a real debate on these vital issues.