Welcome to my August e-newsletter!
There is great news on the 84 bus. The route from Potters Bar to Barnet is coming back on Monday. Thanks to funding provided by Hertsmere and Hertfordshire councils, a new 84B service will run between Potters Bar Hospital and Barnet Hospital. I know how upset many constituents were when the 84 bus was discontinued in Barnet last year, and I have been fighting to save it. There was an enthusiastic cross-party campaign to bring back the 84.
My campaign against Ulez expansion continued during August. It is hugely regrettable that the Mayor of London has decided to press ahead with implementation of Ulez in Barnet and the outer suburbs this week. I will keep up the fight to get the scheme cancelled.
I continue to closely follow controversial development proposals in my constituency. I am very worried about plans by BYM Capital, who own the Spires, to redevelop the site. Their proposals include over 250 flats in blocks of up to six storeys, along with removal of much of the car park, cutting parking spaces in the town centre by around 40%. You can see more detail on their plans here. Please email me to let me know your thoughts.
I want to ensure BYM listen to my constituents views on the future of the Spires and Barnet town centre. I raised this issue in Parliament just before the summer recess.
Recent meetings and visits I have taken part in include a discussion at Barnet College on their exciting ideas for new courses for young people who want to work in the film and creative industries. I addressed Barnet Rotary, and also attended the presentation of a £50,000 donation from the Summer Soulstice Festival to Cherry Lodge Cancer Care.
I visited Bright Little Stars Nursery in Leicester Road to hear about their efforts to support children born prematurely. I was delighted to see this great work recognised with a Prem Aware award to the nursery from The Smallest Things charity. Early years support and education has been a longstanding area of interest for me in the constituency and in Parliament.
I welcomed 16 young constituents to a summer school programme in Westminster. I arranged for a series of speakers from Parliament, the media, public affairs, charities, and campaign groups to come to talk to them about democratic participation and careers in politics.
Finally, I completed my regular summer campaign week, with a busy programme of street surgeries and doorstep calls. Thank you to everyone who came along to help out or took time to talk to me and my team at my local events.
Further information on my campaigns and activities is available in the links below to articles on my website. Please forward this email to anyone you think would be interested to read it or might like to join this mailing list.
All the best
Rt. Hon. Theresa Villiers
Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet
Villiers condemns implementation of Ulez in the suburbs
Speaking from Friern Barnet following a media interview with BBC Radio London, Theresa said “This is the wrong scheme at the wrong time. Expanding Ulez will not tackle air quality problems. It will also cause real hardship for people with non-compliant cars or vans.” Read more….
84 bus saved!
Theresa Villiers has welcomed the news that a bus service between Potters Bar and Barnet will return on 4th September. This part of the 84 bus route stopped in April last year after the bus operator, Metroline, concluded it was not commercially viable and no public funds could be found to support it. Alongside her constituents and her colleague Oliver Dowden MP, Ms Villiers has been campaigning ever since to bring back the route. Read more….
Summer campaign week concludes in the rain
Theresa Villiers MP wrapped up her annual summer campaign week in the rain at the weekend, after carrying doorstep calls and pop-up surgeries around the Chipping Barnet constituency.
Speaking from a washed-out event next to the A1000 in New Barnet, Theresa said “It’s been great to be out talking to so many constituents over these past few days. I keep up my programme of doorstep calls and street surgeries throughout the year but the Parliamentary summer recess gives me time to step up this engagement with my constituents.” Read more….
Ticket office consultation extended
Your local MP has welcomed the decision to extend the consultation on the future of ticket offices until September. The rail industry have been consulting on whether to close many ticket offices and replace them with staff located around the station to assist passengers. Theresa has called for these plans to be halted whilst further consultation takes place with passenger and disabled groups. Read more….
Funding saved for Inter Faith Network
After being contacted by a concerned constituent, Theresa Villiers helped secure Government funding for the Inter Faith Network. This organisation works to support mutual respect and understanding between people of different faith communities and bring them together. Earlier this summer, they were told that their funding from the Department of Levelling Up Communities and Local Government would be discontinued, leaving them at risk of closure. Read more….
How to contact Theresa
The best way to get help from Theresa is to email her on [email protected], ring her constituency office on 020 8449 7345, or write to her at 163 High Street, Barnet, Herts, EN5 5SU.
Theresa’s next diarised surgery takes place on the afternoon of Friday 8th September at her constituency office at 163 High Street. Constituents wishing to see Theresa or her staff will need to make an appointment in advance. You will NOT be seen if you turn up without a pre-booked appointment. Bookings for face-to-face meetings or Zoom calls can be made using the contact details set out in the preceding paragraph.
