Milton News has received the message below from Lucy Frazer MP. To see how Lucy has voted when representing you, visit: www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/25399/lucy_frazer/south_east_cambridgeshire.

I know this year has been very tough for so many people. But it has been great to see how our local communities have pulled together to help those in need.

After an immensely successful vaccine roll out we are slowly able to see life return to normal. We have seen that effective vaccines are a vital part of ending the COVID-19 pandemic. Through vaccination, we can stop those most at risk from getting the virus, reduce hospitalisations and see fewer deaths. The vaccine rollout, which is the largest inoculation programme this country has ever launched, has been a truly remarkable achievement.

In the spring I had the opportunity to visit Staploe Medical Centre to find out more about how staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to deliver the rollout in our region. The organisational demands of this challenge have been vast but staff and volunteers have gone above and beyond to ensure everyone who is eligible and wants a vaccine can receive a one.

By the end of May, a total of 129,251 doses had been administered in South East Cambridgeshire and national estimates indicated that the vaccination programme had already averted over 39,000 hospitalisations and over 13,000 deaths in older adults. There is also now evidence that vaccines are effective at protecting against infection and transmission, which is especially promising as we look to the future. I know how extremely grateful the local community is to all those involved in this inspiring collective effort.

Like many people, much of my time has been spent dealing with the virus and its impacts but I have also managed to ensure that work continues with local organisations on local issues.

And I wanted to let you know specifically about a few issues I have been dealing with affects Milton.

East West Rail’s non-statutory consultation which covered the overall customer experience and railway operations for East West Rail, as well as a range of infrastructure proposals – such as route alignments, stations and level crossings closed in June. As part of the consultation they set out further information about their favoured southern route for the line into Cambridge, however, they also outlined a potential northern route, which would bring the line in close proximity to Milton.

I responded to East West Rail’s consultation setting out my opposition to the proposed northern route into Cambridge, highlighting the potential destruction of homes in our community should a northern approach move forward, particularly as East West Rail estimate that this will impact between 39 and 84 properties. I am also concerned about the potential impact the northern route into Cambridge would have on the future viability of the project to improve passenger services eastwards beyond Cambridge and into my constituency in the future. As part of my response, I also highlighted my support for East West Rail’s aim to become a Net Zero carbon railway by 2050, however, it is right that the potential for electrification on the line at the outset remains under active consideration and East West Rail should continue to investigate the latest emerging technologies. I will continue to push them on this as part of my engagement with the organisation over the coming years.

East West Rail have confirmed to me that a further statutory consultation where they will set out more details about their preferred route, freight and technology will take place in due course. I will of course continue to follow this matter closely, and work with the company to ensure issues that constituents raise continue to be identified and where required mitigated as far possible.

Since I was elected in 2015, I have campaigned for upgrading the A10 between Cambridge and Ely. I know that the volume of traffic on road has increased significantly which causes several problems. I launched a petition to upgrade the road when I first stood for parliament and most recently, I successfully supported the Combined Authority’s bid for funding from HM Treasury which will go towards the development of an outline business case that will investigate specific options for both dualling and junction improvements to the A10 and a preferred route.

On a more regional level I am pleased that I am pleased that the Government’s £3.7 billion funding allocation over the next four years to support the delivery of 48 new hospitals across the country by 2030, includes funding for Addenbrooke’s to help develop a business case for a fully redeveloped hospital. The new hospital will be a modernised, world class hospital at the heart of our community, and is in addition to the £100m announced to build a new children’s hospital on the site, as well as the allocation of the funding necessary for a new cancer centre.

I hope that you have a wonderful summer and enjoy this lovely weather! Don’t forget if you need help with accessing local services or have a question or a query that I may be able to help with, then please email me on lucy.frazer.mp@parliament.uk.