Atherstone Speed Bump Saga Continues, but Carol’s on the Case

The residents of Witherley Road, Atherstone, could be forgiven for feeling a little confused over the latest turn of events regarding a set of controversial speed bumps. Local people have complained that the speed bumps, the pet project of outgoing Labour County Councillor Richard Grant, do not conform to national safety standards and represent a safety hazard to both cars and pedestrians.

The issue hit the radar in May when the then County Council candidate Carol Fox invited Shadow Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government Caroline Spelman, and the prospective Conservative MP for the area Dan Byles, to Atherstone to view the problem. Mrs Spelman agreed that local people should be consulted over what should be done.

Following the local elections on 4 June, Carol Fox was elected as Conservative County Councillor for the area. She has taken on the issue, and is in the process of arranging a full consultation with local residents by the County Council.

So it was a surprise to see MP Mike O’Brien wade into the debate with a visit of his own – despite the issue of speed bumps being a local council matter and not a Parliamentary issue. This was particularly surprising as Cllr Carol Fox had previously telephoned Mr O’Brien’s office to discuss the issue, after she had heard that he was planning to visit the area. He did not respond to her call.

The MP was accused of committing a gaff by announcing his own consultation on the situation ahead of the official council consultation. Cllr Carol Fox is worried that the MP’s private consultation could confuse people and dilute the effectiveness of the official consultation process being organised by Warwickshire County Council.

Cllr Fox said this week: “Local people have been concerned by these speed bumps for some time, and the unwillingness of the former Labour County Councillor to engage with them. The humps were his pet project, and he didn’t like them to be criticised.

“I promised that if I was elected I would organise a proper, official County Council consultation with residents over what needs to be done to sort this problem out, and I am in the process fulfilling that promise.

“So it is quite annoying to find that the local MP, without any discussion with the local County or Borough Councillors, is now undermining the official consultation with some sort of personal campaign of his own. Many people are too busy to take part in multiple consultations, so what on earth is he doing trying to run one himself ahead of the official council consultation process? He is just confusing matters.

“This is a County Council matter, and as the newly elected councillor for the area I have made it a priority to get this sorted. The local MP should stop confusing the situation.”

The Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, ex-soldier Dan Byles, has been supporting Carol Fox over the issue. He said:

“Carol Fox has only been a county councillor for a few weeks, and she is already getting to grips with local problems very effectively. I was pleased to see her fulfil her election promise to take up the issue of these speed bumps, and to organise a proper consultation with local people – something the previous Labour councillor refused to do.

“Heaven knows why the local MP Mike O’Brien has suddenly popped up to have his photograph taken in Witherley Road. He’s already put his foot in it by talking about running his own consultation, which is clearly ridiculous. He should leave the locally elected County Councillor to get on with her job of sorting this out, and let the Council run a proper, official consultation process.

“Surely he has enough to be getting on with, given the state of the country under his Government? Carol’s on the case. The last thing the people of Witherley Road need is an MP sticking his oar in and mucking things up!”