Graham is delighted by responses to his survey about what communities across Beverley and Holderness should do with their share of the transformational £168 Million Local Transport Fund.
The £168 Million fund, from the proceeds of the cancellation of HS2 comes with no strings attached, as requested by Graham in a letter to Rail Minister Huw Merriman of 2nd February 2024.
The money is to be spent on transport projects at East Riding Council’s discretion, with consultation from Members of Parliament, and Graham is eager to see this spent on the priorities of local people.
Graham asked residents what their priorities were, and around 100 people have responded with their suggestions, the most popular being York to Hull Rail (57%), road surface improvements (36%) and more rural buses (31%).
Graham has long been a proponent of making a new rail link between York and Hull, via Beverley, and has raised this with the rail minister, East Riding and Hull Councils and other MPs in recent months.
He has helped secure £2.4 million in Government funding to fill in potholes in the East Riding and his campaign for better bus services between Withernsea and Hull resulted in an improved timetable which began on 29th January.
Graham is asking Parish and Town Council Clerks for their views, and is working with ward councillors on local schemes, including Cllr Jeremy Wilcock (Lib Dem, Beverley Rural) about a bypass for Middleton-on-the-Wolds, which they will visit together on 15th March.
Graham is also meeting the Leader of East Riding Council, Cllr Anne Handley, to discuss transport priorities and how the Council can best spend this transformational funding.
The survey remains open and Graham is keen to see as many responses as possible.
Commenting, Graham said, “There is no doubt that this money could be transformational, all the more so given that it is to be spent at the Council’s discretion.
“I’m eager that this money is spent on the people’s priorities and I’m delighted that I will have a role in approving what these projects are.
“I will be making sure that this money is spent on what people actually want, all across Beverley and Holderness.”
