Today, South West Wiltshire MP Andrew Murrison took part in a Wiltshire climate change summit hosted by Devizes MP Danny Kruger.
This week, he has also discussed the implications of the imminent Bath Clean Air Zone on West Wiltshire residents, particularly Westbury, with Wiltshire councillors and officers. This has resulted in him sending a letter jointly with Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan and Council Leader Phillip Whitehead asking ministers to intervene to remove the A36 and A4 London Road from the zone. Andrew says:
“It is incredibly disappointing that Bath should seek to remedy its air quality problem by shunting the problem onto its neighbours. Many of my constituents in Westbury live right on the A350. They should not be burdened further with Bath’s through traffic.”
Yesterday, Andrew submitted his response to the Environment Agency’s consultation on Northacre Renewable Energy’s (NRE) Westbury incinerator application. The EA has the regulatory power to provide NRE with a permit. Without this, the site would not be allowed to operate – even with planning permission from Wiltshire Council. It is understood that the application could be considered by Wiltshire Council next month.
Back at today’s Devizes climate summit, the adverse effects of Westbury’s incinerator were raised from the beginning, with Dr Emma Dawnay questioning whether Wiltshire has the capacity in its yearly carbon ‘budget’ for the estimated 2.7 million tonnes CO2 the incinerator will offload. Andrew commented that we did not need a ‘carbon-belching’ old style waste incinerator.