Caroline Dinenage last night called a debate in Parliament on the state of transport in the south of England. Speaking in the House of Commons the Gosport MP urged the Government to invest more on blocked up roads like the A32 and the M27, and on overcrowded rail routes linking up southern cities and the capital. The local MP argued that improved transport links are vital to make sure that people on the Gosport peninsula can travel for work, and to help tackle the pockets of deprivation that exist across the south coast.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Caroline said,
"The presence of international hubs such as Portsmouth and Southampton means that the south and, in particular, my region of the Solent act as a gateway to the world. Good transport links are therefore crucial to connect local firms with the rest of the country and international markets. Unfortunately, people in the south too often feel cut off from prosperity due to unreliable and overcrowded transport links.
The deep pockets of deprivation across the south coast will never be overcome while we have the second-rate transport network that we currently endure. Better connections would allow suppliers to reach more businesses, allow businesses to reach more customers, and allow customers to visit more towns to spend their hard-earned cash. In short, they would increase trade, create jobs and raise the living standards of people throughout the region."
The local MP also highlighted the unacceptable length of the journey times between Portsmouth and Southampton, and between the South Coast and London. It takes longer to get from London to Portsmouth on the fast train than it does to get from London to Doncaster—a distance that is more than twice as far. Caroline has long campaigned for better transport links for the area, and this debate follows the securing of an £8.5 million package for improvements to Newgate Lane in Fareham and Gosport, and comes as part of her efforts to lobby the Government for a £90 million package of road improvements across Gosport and Fareham including a new road onto the Gosport Peninsular (Stubbington bypass), improvements to the A27 and better access to the M27.