On Friday 8th October I spoke at a well attended meeting in Calf Heath village hall, called by local residents who are extremely concerned about the various proposals to widen or, worse still, to duplicate the M6. 

It reminded me of where I came in because the first public meeting that I attended in my constituency, before I was even elected to parliament, was at Coven Heath in the early spring of 1970 to meet with residents who were concerned about the proposed M54.  As far as the constituency agenda is concerned motorways, and the threat of them, has been a dominant feature of my parliamentary life.

Early in the summer Alistair Darling, Secretary of State for Transport, produced a Consultation Paper in which he outlined alternative schemes for dealing with the M6.  On the one hand the Paper looks at the widening of the road – but it also puts forward to much more comprehensive and controversial proposal, that the road should be widened but that another motorway should be built, more or less parallel, and this should be a Toll motorway.  

After some pressure from me and others Mr Darling agreed to extend the period of consultation from mid September to 21st October but it really is crucially important that all local Parish Councils, community and interest groups, and individuals, make their views known to the Secretary of State by then.  They can do so by writing to The Rt Honourable Alistair Darling, Secretary of State for Transport, Marsham Street, London SW1 or they can send their letters to me for onward transmission.

I am very  conscious of all the upheavals which my constituents in the north of my South Staffordshire constituency have faced over the years – the building of the M6 before I was elected; the building of the M54; the various open cast and other workings and, most recently, the building of the Toll Road.  We know, from an earlier announcement by the Secretary of State, that there will be a short motorway to link the motorway with the M54 – and now this!

I saw Alistair Darling last month and he told me that as soon as he had chance to consider the weight of representations he intended to announce his preferred option – a widening, or a new motorway, early in the new year.  He has subsequently confirmed that in writing, and also confirmed that he will consider my invitation to visit the constituency before more detailed proposals are put forward his chosen option.

Like most of those who attended the meeting last Friday I would prefer us to have no further environmental disturbance in South Staffordshire but I am realistic enough to appreciate that there are a considerable number of people who feel, in the classic phrase, ‘that something must be done’ to relieve congestion on the M6.  I believe, therefore, that for the moment, all our efforts should be concentrated on seeking to persuade the Secretary of State to drop the idea of a completely new six lane motorway.  The environmental impact, and the disruption to peoples’ lives, that that would bring hardly bears thinking about.  There would be blight and devastation for well over a decade as the route was argued over and the road was built.  What we need to do, as I sought to urge my constituents, is to defeat this proposal now by persuading the Secretary of State that it is just unacceptable.  If he recognises the weight of our argument and puts forward suggestions for a widening scheme there will be ample opportunity to look at his alternative proposals and to react appropriately. 

The meeting in Calf Heath was attended by representatives of the Friends of the Earth and the C.P.R.E., as well as local councillors.  Although views do differ on whether a widening scheme is necessary or not, everyone present seemed to accept that the worst possible solution would be the new motorway and I very  much hope that that view is reflected in the submissions that are made to the Secretary of State who will then drop his more radical alternative.  That really would be a motorway too far.