Home Page Haverhill News

Haverhill's MP has been given an award by a motoring safety organisation for his work in campaigning to make the A11 safer.

Brake and Direct Line Insurance have awarded Richard Spring ‘Parliamentarian of the Year – Community Campaigner’ for his determination to improve safety on the most dangerous road in his region.

The A11, which leads into Norfolk, has claimed many lives over the years and Mr Spring has been campaigning to secure funding for safety improvements to the road.

Plans were made to resolve the problems by dualling it, identified as a priority ten years ago, but little progress had been made before the start of 2009.

When he announced he wasstanding down as MP recently, Mr Spring said achieving the dualling of the A11 was one of his three major successes which he was particularly pleased with.

Along with Christopher Fraser MP and Councillor Daniel Cox, Richard presented a petition containing 15,000 local signatures to then Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon MP before formally meeting him to discuss the issue further.

Following his meeting, Richard managed to secure funding for the dualling of the A11, a timetable was agreed and work should begin in 2010, with improvements in place by 2012-2013.

Mr Spring MP said of the award: “I was surprised and deeply touched that Brake felt that I deserved an award.

"Road safety is not a glamorous issue and neither is it a party political issue, and as such I would like to thank Charles Clarke MP who has been of great help in the attempts over many years to make such a dangerous stretch of road as the A11, safe.

"These sorts of campaigns can take years, and this one has not finished yet as work is yet to be started. A great deal more dogged determination may be required, from a great many more people, before lives stop being lost.”

Members of the public can nominate their MP for a Brake award by emailing ebooth@brake.org.uk.

They can also visit the Brake website (www.brake.org.uk) to find out about how to support Brake’s work with families that have been affected by a road crash by helping to raise vital funds for Brake.

You could take part in a parachute jump, organise a coffee morning or take part in a sponsored walk. To find out about these and other fundraising ideas, call Lisa Kendall on 01484 683294 or email lkendall@brake.org.uk

* Our picture shows Mr Spring receiving his award from Brake.