To the editor
This is a response to Mr Yasin’s article following his meeting with Minister Wendy Morton on 11 May.
Read: Bedford MP describes meeting with rail minister as “most disappointing” of his parliamentary career
We, Protect Poets campaign group were, to say the least, very disappointed with Mr Yasin’s feedback following his meeting with [Wendy Morton MP].
This was a pre-arranged meeting for which the Minister should have been prepared and briefed given that she had been informed of the issues associated with EWR’s plans in Bedford on a number of occasions.
Mr Yasin had asked questions in Parliament on 17 March highlighting the impact of delays in making a decision on his constituents.
These were not answered.
He also joined a debate on the future of rail on the 26 April where he was once again clear about the issues affecting residents in Poets which was compromising the wellbeing of individuals at risk of losing their homes and impacting on the local community.
I would stress that the Minister’s inability to answer Mr Yasin’s questions is the more surprising and unacceptable given that local residents and members of Protect Poets have raised questions and been very clear about their concerns in previous letters.
This applies to members of BFAR and Mr R Fuller [MP for NE Bedfordshire] who have been equally persistent in contacting the Minister with a range of issues regarding EWR’s plans in Bedfordshire.
We are therefore at a loss to understand how, given her role, that the only fact the Minister was able to convey to Mr Yasin was that the project would go ahead.
This was disrespectful to Mr Yasin and an abdication of responsibility given the Minister’s role in overseeing this project and in light of the correspondence generated by the people affected by EWR’s plans.
We can only hope that this negative experience will be resolved and that all the questions raised by Mr Yasin are fully answered without further delay and that future contact with DFT will provide answers.
Marie-Jo Pace-Maund
On behalf of Protect Poets Campaign Group
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