Noise from the M23 for some residents in neighbourhoods that are close to the motorway I know can be a problem. In the House of Commons recently I welcomed an additional £350 million that the Government are investing in West Sussex highways as well as an extra £18 million for Crawley’s roads. Therefore I asked the Transport Secretary about the resurfacing of parts of the M23 with a quieter surface and will be following this up.
The Government recently announced that across the South East, around £1.4 billion will be invested in the roads, as part of 18 new schemes.
These plans build on improvements which began in 2010, including an upgrade scheme to the M25 that will create four lanes throughout by the end of 2014, and the newly-widened A23 which has opened south of Crawley.
This announcement preceded the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement a few months ago, which included good news for air passengers.
I have been campaigning against Air Passenger Duty for years, and I am pleased that the Government have abolished this charge for under 12s from next May, and for under 16s from the following March.
Additionally, the cost of flying will become more transparent, as airlines will be required to list the charges separately from the cost of the actual ticket.
It is reassuring to see that a number of Gatwick based airlines have pledged to pass the APD saving on to passengers, and I hope that many more will do so in the interests of Crawley’s hardworking taxpayers.
If I am ever able to assist anyone in Crawley, please contact me using the details below.
Henry Smith MP
henry.smith.mp@parliament.uk
01293 934554
Henry Smith MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
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