Why did it take so long?

Simon Jupp, Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Transport since last November, gets to meet one of the ministerial members of the team! (And tries to impress his new constituency voters in Cullompton.)

“Just a word in your ear minister. (Oh, and can we have a photo op as well?)”.

In his latest weekly column he also claims to have successfully secured funding for a new school to replace Tipton St John Primary, £15.7 million from the Levelling Up Fund to reduce congestion in East Devon by building the Dinan Way extension, a new police station for Exmouth, reopening Honiton’s police station to the public, and multi-million-pound support for Exeter Airport during the pandemic.

Owl thinks Simon exaggerates his contribution to getting long overdue infrastructure funding in place and thought Alison Hernandez was claiming the credit for hiking our Council Tax to reverse austerity cuts in policing.

I met with the Rail Minister to discuss investment in trains in Devon

Simon Jupp www.midweekherald.co.uk

As your MP, I will continue to push for investment in local roads, railways, broadband, jobs and skills training.

Recently, I met with the Rail Minister, Huw Merriman MP, to discuss train services and investment in Devon.

The reopening of the Dartmoor Line is a major success. Passenger services have returned between Exeter and Okehampton for the first time in nearly 50 years thanks to the government’s Restoring Your Railway programme.

A new station at Marsh Barton will open on Tuesday 4th July. It will be served by hourly GWR services between Paignton and Exmouth, with additional trains at peak times.

I know Cullompton needs a railway station and I’ll continue to push for it at every opportunity. After a successful campaign by the former MP, Neil Parish, the government awarded funding for proposals to be drawn up and now Network Rail are leading the project. Beware of others who may try and claim the credit as the project develops thanks to the determination of the former MP and Conservative government.

I also provided feedback to the Rail Minister on services on the West of England and Avocet lines. Each week I use the train between Exeter and London Paddington or Waterloo. I experience first-hand the frustrations of passengers that I often hear about in my postbag concerning reliability and punctuality.

I visited Exton train station on the Avocet Line last year after concerns from the community about the inadequate shelter. I raised the complaints with GWR. Despite assurances scoping work for a new shelter would get a solution, no concrete progress is evident so I have raised this with GWR again.

Since I was elected in 2019, I have successfully secured funding for a new school to replace Tipton St John Primary, £15.7 million from the Levelling Up Fund to reduce congestion in East Devon by building the Dinan Way extension, a new police station for Exmouth, reopening Honiton’s police station to the public, and multi-million-pound support for Exeter Airport during the pandemic.

I have a proven track record and will continue to work hard for everyone I represent.