Shailesh Vara MP organised a meeting with Darryl Preston, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and members of Bainton Parish Council, along with other local residents to discuss speeding concerns in the village.

This followed on from a previous meeting that Mr Vara had in May 2023 which also discussed speeding vehicles through the village.

Bainton Parish Council has invested in Autospeedwatch, a fully automated system which monitors the speed of vehicles passing through the village. It is managed by volunteers from the village.

The meeting discussed ways in which the volunteers can work more closely with the police to help deter speeding drivers.

It was made clear to Mr Preston that the issue was not one of punishing drivers, but instead of educating them to change their behaviour, to drive in a more responsible and considerate manner through Bainton, as well as neighbouring villages.

Mr Preston agreed to take the matter further with the leadership of Cambridgeshire Constabulary.

Following the meeting, Mr Vara said:

“I am grateful to Darryl for taking the time to visit Bainton and hear the concerns of local residents concerning speeding.

“Some of the drivers are well above the speed limits and it is important that they appreciate the need to slow down and drive in a more considerate and responsible way when driving through Bainton and other rural areas.

“I am very pleased that Darryl will take this up with his colleagues at the Cambridgeshire Constabulary and we look forward to continuing engagement with him and his colleagues on this important matter.”

Andrew Totten, spokesman for the volunteers said:

“We had a constructive meeting with Mr Preston where we discussed the issue of speeding in rural villages and Bainton in particular. We very much hope we can continue these discussions with a view to finding some potential solutions in the near future.”

Photo: (round the table, starting bottom left) Shailesh Vara MP, Andrew Totten, Daryl Preston, Police and Crime Commissioner, Clive Haylett, Rob McNeish, Susie Lucas (Chairperson Bainton Parish Council), PC Nick Southern and Irene Walsh.

Shailesh Vara MP was pleased to welcome Lt Col Alex Mayes, along with a number of his colleagues from the 42 Engineer Regiment from RAF Wyton.

The group had a tour of the Houses of Parliament which was followed by a meeting and discussion with Mr Vara in Westminster Hall, which dates back over 1000 years.

The meeting covered a variety of issues, including the role of MPs, their accountability to the electorate, the processes of Parliament, and how decisions concerning the military are taken.

The war in Ukraine was also discussed, as well as the potential impact that the domestic politics of other nations could have on British defence strategy and on NATO.

The discussion also covered the rise of fake news and its possible impact on the outcomes of general elections and politics generally.

Following the meeting, Mr Vara said:

“It is always a pleasure to welcome constituents to Parliament. I was very pleased to meet Lt Col Mayes and his colleagues and have a very good and informative discussion with them.

“Our military are on the front line ensuring the safety of our nation, and I am grateful for their insight into a number of issues, especially those pertaining to the military, from a RAF perspective.”

Lt Col Mayes added:

“We had a fantastic visit to Parliament, and we were very pleased to meet our local MP, Shailesh Vara. It was good to be able to put our questions to him and hear how political decisions are made at the highest levels of government, along with the role played by civil servants and outside experts.

“It was an excellent opportunity to learn more about the processes which shape our lives each and every day.”

Photo: Shailesh Vara MP (front row, second from left)  and Lt Col Mayes (front row, third from left), with members of the 42 Engineer Regiment.

Shailesh Vara MP is backing a campaign to reinstate a regular bus service to a number of villages surrounding Peterborough. These include the villages of Wittering, Castor, Ailsworth and Wansford.

Mr Vara met with John Bradshaw, Chairman of Wittering Parish Council, and other representatives from the villages at a meeting at Wittering Parish Hall, and heard first-hand the difficulties faced by local residents.

The absence of a proper bus service is causing enormous difficulty, making it very challenging for people to get to work, take children to school, attend medical appointments, as well as shopping and socialising.

RAF Wittering, located nearby, is supporting the campaign as the absence of buses means that many of its one thousand personnel and their families struggle as they try to cope with the lack of reliable transportation.

The situation is so bad that people living in Wittering are having to walk over three miles alongside the A1 to Stamford or Peterborough to attend medical and dental appointments, while heavy lorries and cars rush past at seventy miles per hour and more.

Mr Bradshaw took Mr Vara to the A1 so he could personally see the extreme danger faced by residents.

Mr Vara has agreed to urgently take up the matter with Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald, Leader of Peterborough City Council and Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

Following the meeting, Mr Vara said:

“The current situation is unacceptable.

“Local people are becoming isolated in rural areas, and it is appalling that they are having to walk three miles alongside the A1 on a very narrow and dangerous pathway, to get to GP surgeries and dental practices while cars and lorries hurtle past at seventy miles per hour and more.

“Common sense needs to prevail here, and I very much hope that the necessary funds will be forthcoming.

“I will be working closely with Mr Bradshaw and the neighbouring Parish Councils to try to resolve this very important issue.”

John Bradshaw, Chairman of Wittering Parish Council, added:

“The residents of Wittering, Wansford, Ailsworth and Castor do NOT have a regular bus service. As a result people are walking alongside the A1, inches from fast moving traffic, to get to the doctor. This appalling and dangerous situation must be addressed urgently by the introduction of a regular bus service to these four villages.”

Photo: Shailesh Vara MP (second from left) and John Bradshaw (second from right) alongside the A1 with other attendees from the meeting.

Shailesh Vara MP met with members of Peterborough Citizens UK to discuss items concerning their citizens agenda.

The event was organised by Dilraj Kaur of Peterborough Citizens UK at the offices of Nene Park Trust and items discussed included equality in education, crime, mental health, racism, refugees, and affordable housing.

Those present spoke about the positive aspects they would like to see in their various fields as well as issues that need to be improved to make society a better place for all to live and work in.

The meeting provided an opportunity for attendees to put forward to Mr Vara personal views on improving the local community.

The prevalence of racism in schools and society in general was raised as a particular concern, along with the need for more affordable housing.

There was general agreement that there should be more development on brownfield sites and Mr Vara said he would take this up with Peterborough City Council.

Following the meeting, Mr Vara said:

“I am grateful to Peterborough Citizens UK for arranging this meeting with key members of the local community.

“The meeting was very informative and there is clearly much to be done in a number of key areas to ensure that there is equality in every way for all our citizens.”

Photo: Shailesh Vara MP with members of Peterborough Citizens UK

Shailesh Vara MP visited All Saints Church in Hamerton to support the Ride and Stride Day organised by the Cambridgeshire Historic Churches Trust. While at the church, he met local resident Mrs Kate Tojeiro, who was greeting visitors.

The day is the Trust’s main fundraising event, when churches in the county open their doors for visitors, who often go from church to church on a bicycle.

This year’s event coincides with the fortieth anniversary of the Trust, which gives grants for repairs and restoration to churches.

With church attendances being low, the funds provided by the Trust are crucial for many churches who would otherwise struggle to do vital works.

Following the visit, Mr Vara said:

“Every church has its own unique history and story, and it’s lovely that the day allows people to explore beyond their own church.

“The Trust do fantastic work and are a crucial source of funds for many churches.

“As well as places of worship, many of these places are historical buildings and we should do all we can to preserve them.”

Mrs Tojeiro added:

“It was such a joy to support our local church at Cambridgeshire Historic Churches Ride & Stride.

“Our beautiful church in Hamerton, like so many of these incredible buildings is an amazing community space and needs funds and support to maintain it for future generations.

“It was lovely to greet so many visitors.”

Attached picture shows Shailesh Vara MP together with Hamerton resident, Mrs Kate Tojeiro.