A cyclist and car collided in Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, this evening (Friday).
The man was cycling along and was hit by the car as it pulled out of Gatehouse Close shortly after 5pm.
He suffered head and rib injuries and paramedics treated him at the scene.
More on this as we get it.
Schoolchildren across Aylesbury Vale got in the carnival mood at the Roald Dahl Festival today.
Nearly 1,000 children and young people from secondary and primary schools and the Jonathan Page Play Centre turned for the event.
The festival opened with a parade through Aylesbury featuring around 500 schoolchildren with the artwork they have helped create.
Artist Holly Burrows has been working with students from Aylesbury Vale Academy, the Grange and Mandeville School to make giant puppets of beasts and creatures such as the Big Bad Wolf from Revolting Rhymes and the Old Green Grasshopper from James and the Giant Peach.
The students have been involved all the way through the design process and operated the puppets in the parade.
Workshops led by artists Stuart McLellan and Pippa North have been held at primary schools across the district to help children create hand puppets, signs and other artwork including animals from Matilda, Fantastic Mr Fox and George’s Marvellous Medicine.
Councillor David Thompson, cabinet member for leisure, said: “This is a great celebration for children and young people in the Vale as well as a lovely family occasion.”
The county council has apologised for starting its grass cutting programme late this year.
There have been several complaints about towering grass verges around Aylesbury and Lib Dem and town council leader Mike Smith said some areas including Wendover Road, Oxford Road and Haydon Hill had started to resemble ‘wild meadows’.
Speaking at the Aylesbury local forum, county council inspections team leader Simon Dudley explained that its contractors had struggled to begin its cutting due to the unprecedented wet weather.
He said: “This year was meant to be a bit of a transitional year and we got a contractor who probably thought, ‘This is an easy job’ and it turned out it wasn’t.
“For the last four or six weeks we have had a number meetings with them and over the last two weeks we are beginning to see an improvement over the cutting.
“Our apologies for the poor start.”
The council contracts grass cutting out to firms Salcey Forest Landscape and Robert North to cut the grass in urban areas within 30mph speed limits and rural areas above 30mph.
Aylesbury Freemasons have raised more than £10,000 to help disabled children in the town.
The 11 lodges and six chapters at the Ripon Street masonic centre have contributed to the PACE Centre.
The fund was set up by the deputy head of Aylesbury and Bucks Freemasons, Clifford Drake, to mark his stepping down from the role this October.
Some £10, 000 has already been pledged, and more is gradually coming in.
Mr Drake trekked 22 miles across the middle of the county in a sponsored Ridgeway Walk, from Bledlow to Ivinghoe Beacon, in aid of PACE.
The PACE centre in Aylesbury needs more than £1m a year to help disabled under-fives throughout Buckinghamshire.
Mr Drake said: “I am so grateful to Aylesbury Freemasons who have enabled me to go out on a high point. They have really lived up to our values of friendship, decency, and charity.”
The 67 year old, from Camberley, was the first of around 50 walkers – some half his age – to complete the trek.
“You’re only as young as you feel,” he boasts.
The identity of his successor is due to be announced soon, when he will step aside to become the organisation’s communications director.
He says: “The past eight years have been amazing.
“The 4,000 or so freemasons in the county have embraced change enthusiastically.
“We now use modern communications techniques like the media and the internet to inform the public about our centuries’ old organisation.
“As a result, we have around 120 new members coming forward every year who want to make a real difference to their community.
“I am delighted. Not least because it shows our values of friendship, decency, and charity, are timeless.”
A political leader has called for a debate on the quality of the Waterside Theatre’s programme and the amount of time it spends in darkness.
Following our story last week which highlighted concerns over the £47m theatre, UKIP district leader Chris Adams received several emails from disgruntled residents.
He said: “We can bring it up at council.
“It looks like it needs a review. People like the music side of things and want to see more music related stuff.
“The thing that sticks out to me is that it is not being used as much as it should be and that is quite concerning because taxpayers’ money was pumped into it and we need a good return.
“When I go by the theatre many times it is in complete darkness.
“Why not open it up during these times to local community groups?”
Lib Dem district leader Steve Lambert added: “It was expensive but now we have it we must make it a success, it’s an anchor building for the centre of Aylesbury.
“They could have more shows, but the shows they do have are good. The ones I attend are sold out.
“It takes time to set a show up, there will be empty nights.
“If we had a show here for four years people would complain there was no variety.”
HOW THEY COMPARE - JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER HIGHLIGHTS AND DARK DAYS AT WATERSIDE, MILTON KEYNES, WYCOMBE SWAN AND OXFORD
Waterside: Strictly Confidential, Sofia National Ballet, Tony Stockwell medium, Roy Orbison tribute, Otway The Movie, Mickey’s Rockin’ Roadshow, Save the Last Dance For Me, Blofeld & Baxter, UK Pink Floyd Experience tribute, The Drifters, The Osmonds, The Bay City Rollers, Three Phantoms
Milton Keynes: CATS, Go Back for Murder, Rocky Horror Show, Birdsong, Sofia National Ballet, Rat Pack, Dreamcoats & Petticoats, Footloose, Carnaby Street, Ghost, Street Dance, Sally Morgan psychic
Wycombe Swan: Jason Manford, Noises Off, Grandpa in my Pocket, An Evening of Dirty Dancing, Gotta Sing Gotta Dance, Elkie Brooks, Beyond the Barricade, Upbeat Beatles, Kate Rusby, Georgie Fame
Oxford: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Save the Last Dance for Me, Grandpa in my Pocket, Rocky Horror Show, Blood Brothers, Caro Emerald, English Youth Ballet, Jason Manford, Roy Chubby Brown, ELO Experience, Motown’s Greatest Hits
Dark periods: Waterside 62 nights; Milton Keynes Theatre 30 nights; Wycombe Swan 63 nights; New Theatre, Oxford 50.
Bee Gee Robin Gibb’s wife Dwina is opening the fifth Relay for Life event to be held at Aylesbury Rugby Club in Weston Turville this weekend.
The superstar singer died just over a year ago from cancer and his wife, who lives in Thame, has agreed to support the inspirational event.
Committee member Peter Thomas said Mrs Gibb would be involved in the opening ceremony at noon today (Saturday).
He said: “The event starts with nearly 40 cancer survivors walking the first lap. People do survive cancer and we are trying to raise as much money as possible to fight this disease.”
People are invited to go along to the event – entry is free – and enjoy all the activities and entertainment on offer, and to cheer on the relay teams. Attractions include all day music, catering, a bar, line dancing, a kids disco, ballet lessons and archery.
The 28 relay teams have a minimum of eight members, and 1st Aylesbury Scouts have more than 90 people in their team.
Members will run in relay around the track throughout the night, until the event ends at noon on Sunday.
During the evening there will be a break for the Candle of Hope ceremony to remember those no longer here and those who are still fighting the disease.
The 11th Roald Dahl Festival takes place today (Saturday) with a town centre parade, samba bands and street entertainers, followed by the Roald Dahl Games in Vale Park in the afternoon.
Families can expect lots of colourful, scrumdiddlyumptious fun to celebrate the work of one of Britain’s favourite authors.
It all starts with a parade leaving St Mary’s Church at 11am featuring a magnificent animal menagerie including larger than life puppets and other original artwork created by more than 500 children and young people from across the Vale.
Organised by Aylesbury Vale District Council, this year’s festival will be themed on the curious and amazing animals that live in the Great Missenden author’s books.
Councillor David Thompson, cabinet member for leisure, said: “Roald Dahl is one of the most influential children’s authors that has ever lived.
“His hilarious and imaginative books will always continue to make reading fun for children around the world.
“Our annual Roald Dahl Festival is a fitting tribute to his memory and a fantastic opportunity to come together and celebrate his work.”
The day will be full of exciting hands-on art and craft activities, storytelling, theatre performances, live music and dance at several locations in the town.
The afternoon games in the park will have a Roald Dahl twist.
A fun-loving Staffie has finally found a new home after one of the longest stays at a dog re-homing centre following an appeal in the Thame Gazette.
One year old Ruby had been at Blue Cross’ Lewknor centre for two months before someone was able to take her home.
She is now starting a new life with Colin Johnson and Karen Boyle from Aylesbury.
Lisa Kent, animal welfare assistant at Lewknor said: “We’re so happy Ruby has finally found her forever home.
“She’s a lovely girl and was great with other dogs, so she became a real character and will be missed at the centre.
“We presume the reason she was here so long is because of her breed, but Staffie’s actually make fabulous pets and we know Ruby will bring her new owners a lot of joy.”
Aylesbury may be one of the furthest places in Britain from the coast – but today (Sunday) it is being transformed into a seaside town.
Aylesbury-On-Sea in Kingsbury is one of the biggest town centre events on the calendar.
It will be packed full of activities and games, including bouncy castles, hook a duck, donkey rides, balloon modelling, fairground rides, face painting and themed take home crafts.
There will be plenty of sand, buckets and spades to make sand castles with and people can take a trip on the smiley land train around the square.
You can watch Uncle Micks’ Variety Show while sitting on a deck chair or be amazed by Magic Dave’s latest tricks. You can also enjoy live music from the LuLaLa’s and Saxes En Que.
Candy floss, and ice cream will be available, as well as bespoke Aylesbury Rock.
The event, organised by Aylesbury Town Council, takes place from 11am-4pm.
A 24-year-old who survived a near fatal stroke and spent three weeks in a coma has been donated a mobility scooter to aid his rehabilitation.
James Unsworth of Quarrendon, slipped into a coma in October after suffering an allergic reaction to back medication in his sleep.
It transpired he had suffered something similar to a stroke leading to him being partially confined to a wheelchair.
Moved by his story in the Bucks Herald about how he went on to wed his school sweetheart, Denis Fowler and his daughter Katie Mackinnon, of The Mobility Store in Rabans Lane, decided to help out.
Mr Fowler said: “James is unusual for us in what’s happened to him. When I was his age I was playing football.
“You don’t see this sort of thing happen to someone like him very often.”
Mrs Mackinnon added: “We saw the story and thought, ‘We have got to do something’.
“I was very choked up. It’s not often you can actually do something to help. He has got a little lad as well who is a similar age as mine and that really struck home.”
Mr Unsworth recently married his girlfriend of 11 years, Jazmin, 28, and the newlyweds said the scooter has come as a big relief.
Mrs Unsworth said: “The generosity has been amazing. It’s made James feel a lot happier. I won’t have to push him around anymore either. It’s given him a whole new lease of life.”
Mr Unsworth added: “It’s easier for me now. I can go to the shops on my own with the scooter. I feel tremendous.”
Mr Unsworth is never expected to be able to walk again and Jazmin is now his full-time carer.
Councillors are pushing for a pedestrian crossing to be installed on the A41 at Berryfields ‘immediately’.
A crossing has already been agreed for the road near the development but a petition signed by 103 people was presented to the Greater Aylesbury Local Forum for one to be installed immediately.
It said that many people have to cross the road to access the doctors surgery, shops and school.
UKIP leader and district councillor Chris Adams: “It’s quite dangerous there with cars swerving in and out. I would have thought Bucks County Council would have made it a priority.”
County council said £100,000 is set aside for local transport improvements but it does not have funding to carry out a feasibility study unless the forum agrees that it is a local priority.
If agreed then the forum can make a decision on whether money is pledged towards the crossing.
Building work for Stoke Mandeville Hospital’s new multi-storey car park will begin in September.
It is hoped the 300 space car park will go some way towards alleviating parking problems around the hospital.
However, there are still concerns over available parking after it emerged the county council is considering introducing double yellow lines on Winterton Drive and Kynaston Avenue.
Currently it is consulting with residents in the area, who have complained about junctions being blocked and their drives being used by staff and patients. If the plans are successful the lines could be painted by late October this year.
County council parking services team leader Steve Kenton said: “Obviously it’s a highly residential area. It seems to be a 24 hour issue.
“A single yellow line won’t be effective in that it will have to be a double yellow.”
Parking around the hospital has been a problem for a number of years with Booker Park School’s business director Christine Ludlow describing the area as an ‘accident waiting to happen’.
Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust director of property services Ian Garlington said: “We encourage staff to look at alternatives to bringing a car to work, such as public transport, cycling and walking.
“At this stage it is difficult to gauge the impact double yellow lines will have on hospital parking.”
Mr Garlington assured people no car spaces will be lost when construction on the new car park begins.
It is one project being funded through the sale of land to supermarket ASDA which will be completed next year.
A new grot spot action group inspired by The Bucks Herald’s campaign to clean up Aylesbury is being set up by politicians.
Greater Aylesbury Local Area Forum chairman and Conservative councillor Brian Roberts said: “The Bucks Herald campaign is highlighting lots of problems.
“As taxpayers it costs a lot of money for it to be cleared up.
“We need to get the perpetrators of all this rubbish.
“We have got to get to the cause instead of trying to just identify it.It’s something we need to work on. Anybody who’s a member of the forum will be welcome to join us.”
Mr Roberts said the local area forum had been inspired to set up the committee by The Bucks Herald’s grotspot campaign.
He added: “We need to help clean the place up.
“There are already lots of people who work their socks off to clean the place up. We need to get a lot sorted.”
Mr Roberts said fellow Tory councillor Mark Winn had suggested the idea and that it was early days for the committee but that it would happen.
He estimated that the committee would be started within the next few weeks and that it should be properly up and running before the next forum meeting in September.
Bucks County Council is considering whether to permanently remove speed bumps from Spenser Road.
Road resurfacing work is being carried out on the road and 25 people have signed a petition not to reintroduce them.
Lead petitioner Carole Westgate said: “We were delighted to hear the road was going to be resurfaced but surprised they were going to replace the speed bumps afterwards.
“We would rather you didn’t go to the bother of putting them back in. There are occasions we get boy racers but to be frank speed bumps make no difference at all.”
Ms Westgate said the bumps actually caused more damage to law abiding citizen’s cars.
It was noted that some residents in Spenser Road believe the bumps do act as a deterrent to boy racers and that if they were removed neighbouring roads would also need to be considered.
The council has asked the Department for Transport not to immediately put them back in so it can assess whether they are required on the street.
Homes in Great Britain use nine billion litres of water every day, the largest and most comprehensive study of water use ever has revealed.
At Home with Water, a report commissioned by the Energy Saving Trust Foundation in partnership with DEFRA, Procter and Gamble, Thames Water, Consumer Council for Water and SaveWaterSaveMoney, presents the findings from a study of 86,000 British households – and sheds new light on how Brits use water.
Showers are the biggest consumers of water in the home, using a quarter of the total – three per cent more than lavatories (22 per cent).
At Home with Water found an average shower lasts 7.5 minutes – and cutting a MINUTE off that time would save Hertfordshire households £3.6 million on energy bills each year.
Each day Britain “showers away” over two billion litres of water. At Home with Water pulls back the curtain on the showering habits of Brits, finding:
On average, Britons shower 4.4 times a week, and take 1.3 baths.
An average shower lasts 7.5 minutes – with one in eight taking more than ten minutes.
Those in larger households with more people take fewer showers each week, but stay in longer when the opportunity arises.
While a quarter of respondents have efficient eco-showerheads installed, a similar proportion have high-flow power showers.
Away from the bathroom, At Home with Water found that just over a fifth (22 per cent) of household water is used in the kitchen, with washing machines, dishwashers, kettles and taps all taking their share.
More than nine in ten people (95 per cent) boil the kettle every day, with 40 per cent doing so five times a day or more. However, three quarters of households still boil more water than they need – with overfilling costing people in Hertfordshire £1 million a year.
Despite the increasing use of new technology in UK homes, dishwashers are still second-best to handwashing in many cases.
The average British household washes dishes by hand ten times a week, but only uses the dishwasher three times a week. Energy Saving Trust states that larger households in Hertfordshire could actually make greater energy and water savings by using an efficient, modern dishwasher rather than washing by hand.
Andrew Tucker, water strategy manager at Energy Saving Trust, said: “When people think of energy use they think of heating and lighting, running electrical appliances or filling the car with petrol. It’s all too easy to turn on the tap and not think about the consequences.
“But there is an environmental and energy cost attached to water which many people do not consider. On average, hot water use contributes £228 to the average annual combined energy bill.
“It’s clear that we are all using more water-consuming appliances regularly, especially showers, but that doesn’t mean householders in Hertfordshire are powerless to control their water use.
“By reducing the amount of water – especially hot water – that we use, we can cut down on the energy demands of our lifestyles, which have changed radically over the last 50 years. Following three simple steps from the Energy Saving Trust will help reduce the energy and water bills of consumers – and stop their money spiralling down the plughole.”
Energy Saving Trust is urging people in Hertfordshire to follow three simple tips to save water and energy, without impacting on their lifestyle. An average Hertfordshire household could save £22 on their energy bills each year, with metered households saving an additional £13 on their water bills by:
Showering smarter – installing an eco-shower head to a mixer or power shower, which 49 per cent of households may be eligible to do;
Turning it down – washing clothes at 30C, saving 40 per cent on a wash at 50-60C;
Budgeting your brews – boil only the water you need when you fill the kettle, because overfilling costs Brits £68 million a year.
Other key findings from the report include:
On average, each person in Great Britain uses about 142 litres of clean water every day – that’s 349 litres per household.
Fitting and using a dual-flush mechanism to an old toilet in an average four-person household could save around 44,000 litres of water and £120 a year in metered water bills annually. But only 41 per cent of respondents had a dual-flush lavatory.
Households use their washing machine on average 4.5 times each week, but only a quarter choose to wash at 30 degrees or less.
The findings from At Home with Water were compiled from data collected between 2010 and 2012 from the Energy Saving Trust’s Water Energy Calculator, which allows users to take a virtual tour of their home and fill-in simple details about their water use.
The calculator then lets householders see how much water they use throughout the home, how much that use costs them, and what they could do to make monetary savings each year.
{http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Heating-and-hot-water/Saving-money-on-hot-water/Water-Energy-Calculator|Click here so see the calculator for yourself}
At Home with Water will enable consumers, businesses and government to understand how water is used, forecast future trends and take action to save water and energy.
Paul Rutter, sustainable water manager at Thames Water, said: “The future challenge of finding enough water resources means all water companies have a duty to promote efficiency, and the research carried out by the Energy Saving Trust helps towards that aim. Importantly, their work linking the costs of heating water helps make the point that win-win chances to save both water and energy are out there.”
A second phase of At Home with Water, also funded by the partners, will see in-depth trials of water monitoring in the homes of 100 volunteers. The results of this follow-up study will be used to enhance the findings outlined today.
Homeowners wanting more information on saving energy and water at home can visit call the Energy Saving Trust’s helpline on 0300 123 1234 or {http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk|visit the website by clicking here
Lord Williams’s School day nursery has received a boost after Ofsted rated it ‘good’ and praised its staff.
The report said that ‘practitioners work successfully with parents to ensure children settle into the nursery and their needs are met.’
Ofsted particularly noted how the children are happy and forge strong relationships with key people and each other.
Parents were impressed by the report and one dad said: “To be honest, the school is outstanding as far as me and my son are concerned.”
The report added that ‘practitioners have a good understanding of the curriculum and deliver this well to help children reach their individual goals’.
The glowing report follows the completion of a newly development pre-school.
Meanwhile, the nursery has been busy getting parents involved with the school. Most recently it invited dad’s to a father’s day curry afternoon to spend time with students and teachers.
One dad said: ““Everyone was friendly, helpful and accommodating. The food was delicious, well cooked and at the usual high standards.”
“First rule of magic: always be the smartest person in the room.”
What if four street magicians, each with their own set of skills, came together to form a super group called The Four Horsemen, performing jaw-dropping impossible crimes as part of their show?
And rather than keeping the money for themselves they rain it down on the audience, becoming rather popular in the process?
Well, meet the team: hotshot rising star J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), his former assistant turned escape artist Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), con artist Jack Wilder (Dave Franco), and mentalist Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson).
They each get a mysterious invitation from a multi-millionaire insurance guru Arthur Tressler (Michael Caine) who offers to bankroll the Horsemen on a national series of high-profile gigs.
Up against them are a joint FBI and Interpol team headed up by agents Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) and Alma Dray (Mélanie Laurent) plus professional magic debunker Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman).
But with the Horsemen seemingly able to pull off incredible feats of teleportation, mind control and other unfeasible acts, is this just a clever use of power of deception – or are there more arcane forces at work?
The magic is the main star of this show – thanks in no small part to the wonder of CGI special effects, these guys can pull off tricks that would make Derren Brown and Dynamo turn green with envy.
Director Louis ‘The Transporter’ Leterrier delivers a fast-paced and fun magical spin on the heist-em-up and he adds some cool more traditional action scenes including a nailbiting car chase to the mix.
Quite why the four magicians are prepared to risk everything by committing such audacious crimes in the full gaze of the public eye is at the crux of the film.
Could it be that a fabled secret society of magicians called The Eye is somehow involved – and how does the death of magician 18 years ago fit into the crimes being carried out?
Now You See Me works for a wide range of audiences – I took my sons aged 12 and 16 who were both impressed with the razzle-dazzle/sleight of hand on show.
It might not go down in the cinematic annals as a classic but if you want a disposable whizz-bang big scale magic show cum crime caper catch it before it disappears.
Aspiring DJs are being urged to come forward to help out on a new Thame radio station.
Radio Blackfrog has live shows every evening and plays music of all genres throughout the day and night.
The station is based at Blackfrog Studios in Station Yard and bosses are on the lookout for fresh talent to produce more live programmes.
Steve Lockwood, who works at the station, said: “All the people working here are local people who thought it would be fun to have a go.
“We still have vacancies so anyone can get in contact with ideas they have got for shows.
“I am talking to someone at the moment about doing a sports show.
“If anyone wanted to come in and do a breakfast show I’d be happy to let them.”
The studio, which promotes a number of artists including Palahniuk (pictured), first considered the idea of a radio station some time ago but it was only seriously taken forward recently.
Radio Blackfrog has now been up and running for two months and can be listened to online and on mobile phones.
It is hoped the station can help promote musicians from the area as well as give people the chance to do volunteer radio work.
Anyone interested in getting involved with the studio should email info@radioblackfrog.co.uk
For more information and to listen live visit www.radioblackfrog.co.uk
Let’s talk about recycling, shall we? It’s a fact of life, we’ve all got to do it, but let’s be honest – most of us wouldn’t lift a finger if we weren’t forced to. We’d just chuck all our rubbish in a bin, or wherever we wanted, and leave it for someone else to sort out.
It’s human nature, and the same mindset is also apparent in the trickier subject area of body recycling. No, not the Burke & Hare type, I’m alluding to organ donation here, do try to keep up.
Here’s how I see it – if I’ve already shuffled off this mortal coil, whether it’s suddenly, slowly, serenely or raging against the dying of the light, I’m not really that bothered about what happens to my bits. If you want to stick my organs into somebody else, knock yourself out.
I’ve got no great ethical or philosophical conviction that I should try to do good even after I’m gone – I feel as strongly about the various complicated components that help me get out of bed in the morning as I do about a spare stool at a pub table. If someone shuffles over and asks if I’m using it, the answer would be the same: Help yourself, take the weight off.
You may have seen that Wales has just become the first part of the UK to vote for a ‘presumed consent’ system of organ donation – that means you have to opt out if you don’t want to be involved, rather than opt in and carry a donor card or whatever.
You may also be aware that we are in the middle of National Transplant Week, which aims to make people more aware of the pressing need for more donors and the fact that fewer than one in three of us has so far volunteered to do our bit if the worst comes to the worst.
Now very well done to Wales but it will still be a couple of years before their new system kicks in, and who knows how long it might take for the rest of the UK to follow suit?
I’ve got a more radical idea, inspired by the loyalty card schemes that are so popular with our major supermarkets and corporate coffee chains.
It’s simple enough – we’ve all got a National Insurance number, and most of us have got a little credit card thing which proves we’re part of the system.
So you should have to produce that number whenever you want to take advantage of health service treatment – for anything from a check-up at your GP to a frantic dash to A&E.
Your card number would link to a database that would quickly confirm whether you were on the donor register, gave blood regularly, worked as a volunteer, whatever criteria were agreed all round.
If you don’t tick those boxes, you’ll get bumped down the queue. Not turned away, but forced to wait your turn while loyal NHS supporters get preference. It sounds too simple, but why not?
In a letter to Patrick McLaughlin – noticeably written from his constituents’ viewpoint rather than his own – Aylesbury MP David Lidington refers to the cost of HS2 increasing in price to £42 billion and says the project ‘cannot be justified’.
The Europe Minister – who recently caused anger by not voting against the HS2 bill in parliament – asks Mr McLaughlin to give a response to his points.
He writes: “I have received several letters and emails from my constituents concerning the announcement you made during the Second Reading debate on the HS2 Paving Bill that the cost of the HS2 scheme has risen by around £10bn.
“My constituents have said to me that this increase in cost suggests that the final figure for constructing HS2 will be significantly higher and that in the current economic climate this increased cost of HS2 cannot be justified.
“My constituents have said to me that because of the increased cost the HS2 project should be cancelled and the money spent on other transport infrastructure projects.
“I would be grateful for your comments on the issues my constituents raise.”