Is our message
Campaigners want a full u-turn on dualling plans
Thank you so much to all constituents who have been in touch to wish me well – I am now out of self-isolation and back at work full time assisting you with all of your issues.
In line with guidance, my offices across the constituency have closed but staff are working remotely. The best way to contact me is therefore via email on lisa.cameron. mp@parliament.uk or by telephone where I have a diverted service up and running from my Westminster office on 020 7219 6855.
It is important to note that this week the national volunteering plan for coronavirus across Scotland is being launched ‘Scotland Cares’.
Whilst the most important ask for our public remains to stay at home and follow essential public health guidance, people who are healthy and deemed not at risk can volunteer to provide practical or emotional assistance to those in society who are vulnerable and most in need.
Constituents wanting to volunteer to support our community, please have a look at the Ready Scotland website www. readyscotland.org
Returning NHS workers will then be directed to existing voluntary arrangements in NHS Scotland, those constituents wishing to offer support to public services including the local authority will be directed to a site co-ordinated by the British Red Cross and those looking for opportunities with other charities or with community groups will be directed to Volunteer Scotland for information.
In line with our current stay at home guidance, constituents can only volunteer to carry out tasks that involve leaving your home once per day. It is important that we all work together across our community and do all that we can to help others at this critical time.
Businesses who can offer support can do so via emailing covid19response@gov. scot
My office has remained inundated with your enquiries over the past fortnight, and I would like to personally thank my staff as they have been working absolutely flat out.
We have been chasing advice for frontline staff regarding Personal Protective Equipment as required for essential workers in Hairmyres Hospital, within our local social care sector and pharmacies; we have been linking local constituents to government financial supports and advice for businesses, for sole traders and for staff whose jobs have been furloughed.
As chairwoman of the Disability All Party Parliamentary Group, I have written to all of the major supermarkets in the UK asking them to ensure available, prioritised home delivery slots for people with severe mobility issues.
I have received a very positive response so if any constituents are affected, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
My Westminster office is working with local constituents who have been stranded abroad in liaison with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Please get in touch straight away if you or your family members are in this situation.
We are working to support repatriation flights and alerting the FCO to any health or safety issues for constituents.
Finally, thank you to everyone across our wonderful constituency who is doing their bit – we will come through this together and undoubtedly with a strengthened community spirit.
NICOLA FINDLAY
Green campaigners in East Kilbride have slammed revised plans for the dualling of Stewartfield Way, claming they continue to fly in the face of efforts to comabat the climate emergency.
The News revealed last week that papers which were due to go before an executive committee meeting outlined the preferred option as only dualling the section between the James Hamilton Heritage Loch junction (at the eastern end of Stewartfield Crescent) eastwards to the Kingsgate/roundabout.
It came after a public consultation in November and December by South Lanarkshire Council into the £62m City Deal plans.
And the revised plans are now set to go-ahead after a decision was taken behind closed doors due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Construction is expected to get underway around summer 2022 and continuing through to spring 2025.
They also include a new cycle path and footway, and improvements in access to public transport including the rail network.
Green campaigner Kirsten Robb said: “The council are now trying to keep alive and dress up this project as ‘green’, a project that local people don’t want and the climate emergency doesn’t need.
“Dualling a section of the road is pointless and a waste of money that will only clog up traffic further along. The council needed to be brave enough to scrap the dualling part of the project and reinvest the savings in making the sustainable transport projects they keep talking about happen faster and on a bigger scale so people have the practical alternatives they need.
“However, it’s been 13 years since South Lanarkshire Council first committed to action on climate change yet councillors keep nodding through climate wrecking projects.
“Stewartfield Way is just the latest project with no published review of its climate impact and councillor’s approval of this project leaves SLC’s climate emergency declaration in tatters.”
Greens also claim the report is contradictory in that dualling will “accommodate future traffic growth” but at the same time will also seek to “reduce existing road traffic” and help shift people onto other forms of transport.
But no assessments or evidence are provided to show how this will happen.
They are now calling for the council’s budget and plans for the project to have a climate impact assessment, traffic increase modelling and estimated modal shift to be assessed as well as cash to be reinvested in sustainable transport and sustainable housing projects – not the part-dualling.
However, council leader John Ross said it had been “clear for many years that Stewartfield Way needs to be improved”.
He went on: “The frequent delays to traffic don’t just inconvenience people, they have an impact on businesses and the local economy and all those idling engines have a detrimental effect on the environment.
“However, we knew that some people were opposed to the upgrade, especially local residents who live near the road and those who were concerned about the potential impact on the James Hamilton Heritage Park.
“So the plans now take into account those concerns and point the way forward for a project which will help traffic flow, making it easier for residents and businesses to get about, promote cycling and public transport, and provide an economic boost for the local area which will protect and grow jobs.”
The council say given the suspension of council committee business during the current coronavirus situation, approval for the project to progress was granted under delegated powers by the council’s chief executive, in consultation with the leaders of the political groups.
It is expected that the project will require around two years of further development work and at each stage proposed business cases will be submitted to the council’s executive committee for approval.
Thanks to all doing their bit. Please stay at home...