Wareham Conservatives are led by Jane Thomas who is also our candidate for the Purbeck District Council Election on May 6th.
Here are updates from her campaign:
Pledge to fight for road improvements
The A351 continues to create havoc and misery as local people and visitors to the area battle against the daily delays and traffic jams.
Our elected representatives both locally and in Westminster have failed over the past nine years to obtain any improvements to alleviate the serious problems faced by locals and tourists alike.
Only the Conservatives are continuing to campaign for a bypass. Jane Thomas promises to back Nick King’s campaign for the long promised by pass. “We need all levels of Government to speak with one voice,” says Jane.
Backing Rail in Dorset
Local Conservatives strongly support Swanage railway’s efforts to secure the £3 million funding required to complete vital re-signalling work so that passenger train services can resume from Wareham to Corfe Castle and Swanage.
Local Conservative candidate Jane Thomas says: “The deadline for this has been extended to April and we encourage as many people as possible to lobby central government to find and commit to the funding.”
Nick King adds: “The rail link would make a vital contribution to improving the infrastructure of Purbeck, taking the pressure off our current road system. It would also give a tremendous boost to the local economy, enabling visitors to travel from all over the country directly to the coast.”
Need for more affordable local housing
Jane Thomas has been speaking to families in Wareham extremely concerned about how future generations will be able to afford a home of their own locally.
House and rental prices are pushed up by the demand from people moving into the area, both relocating and properties purchased as holiday or second homes.
Local families who have lived here for generations are being pushed out and if we are to stop these trends new and imaginative solutions to our housing problems are required.
The Conservative party arecommitted to creating a system that will allow local communities in towns and villages to come together and decide on the homes they want and need in theirarea. Provided they have enough local support, they will be able to grant themselves planning permission to build those homes, creating a revolutionary new form of localism in house building, Local Housing Trusts.
Nick King agrees with Jane and has been working with Shadow Housing Minister, Grant Shapps MP, to identify communities in Purbeck that would be interested in the scheme.
Update on level crossing
Dorset County Council, faced with a real threat from Network Rail of closing the crossing, have installed a security guard and new fences have been erected to improve safety.
Jane pledges to continue to campaign for the crossing to be maintained for the benefit of all residents on both sides of the railway.
Nick and Jane recently met at the crossing with Cllr Geoffrey Brierley, Dorset County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport to press for the crossing to be kept open and for some softening of the stark fencing put in place.