http://www.simonwright.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Simon Wright en-GB Simon Wright http://www.simonwright.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2008 Simon Wright 2008-07-24T15:21+01:00 United Kingdom http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000092/over_1500_petition_signatures_for_new_costessey_post_office.html Since the news broke last Tuesday over the proposal to close New Costessey Post Office, the local community has given a massive show of support for their local branch. More than 1,500 people have already signed a petition in opposition to the closure. 2008-07-03T19:26+01:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000088/one_year_of_brown__norwich_losing_out.html Friday 27th June marks the one year anniversary of Gordon Brown's period as Prime Minister. Commenting on the last 12 months Simon Wright, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Norwich South, says that Norwich people are suffering from widening inequality, a weakened economy, and the loss of local services such as post offices. Mr Wright said: 2008-06-27T21:22+01:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000090/vauhall_street_post_office_saved_by_local_campaign.html Vauxhall Street Post Office has been spared the axe, as the outcome of the Post Office Ltd's consultation process over the future of branches in Norfolk becomes clearer. 2008-06-24T20:24+01:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000089/new_costessey_post_office_closure_proposed.html New Costessey Post Office is to be added to the closure programme, following the removal of three branches in Norfolk as a result of consultation. 2008-06-24T19:25+01:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000091/post_office_boss_rewarded_for_failure.html Royal Mail accounts, published this weekend, reveal that Chief Executive Adam Crozier received a bumper £3 million pay package this year. Yet 51 Post Office branches are set to close across Norfolk with Post Office Ltd claiming that the current network is not financially viable. 2008-05-24T02:06+01:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000086/norwich_castle_mall_post_office_queues_warning_of_increases_to_come.html Official Post Office Ltd figures (see below) show that the closure of three branches in Norwich city could lead to a massive increase in queue lengths at the Castle Mall branch. Simon Wright, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Norwich South, says the closure of Vauxhall Street, Rosary Road, and North Earlham Post Offices may see an increase of queue lengths by at least a third, and as much as half. He has raised his concerns with Postwatch, the independent watchdog for postal services in the UK. 2008-05-16T21:16+01:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000085/accuracy_of_post_office_consultation_documents_challenged.html Today, the Post Office has published details of branches identified for closure in Norfolk with a six week public consultation also launched. The documentation for the consultations can be found on the Post Office website as of this morning, but some details have already come in for criticism. 2008-03-26T15:21+00:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000084/three_city_post_offices_set_to_be_on_closure_list.html North Earlham, Rosary Road, and Vauxhall Street Post Offices in Norwich all look set to be included on the branch closure list to be published later today. 2008-03-26T09:19+00:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000083/norwich_mps_criticised_over_post_office_vote.html Norwich's Labour MPs have been criticised today for voting against a Parliamentary motion which would have suspended the post office closure programme. The motion was rejected last night by just 20 votes. 2008-03-20T18:24+00:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000082/city_council_opposes_hgvs_in_buscycle_lane.html Liberal Democrat Councillor Judith Lubbock says she was delighted that at a full council meeting on Tuesday evening the City Council took the decision to say no to HGVs using the bus/cycle lane in Newmarket Road. "I just hope that our representatives on the Joint Highways committee on May 22nd respect this decision and vote against it. It is just not consistent with sustainability. We should be doing all we can to encourage cycling not discourage it. I simply do not understand why the Labour City Councillor Brian Morrey voted for such a sheme in the first place." 2008-03-19T17:20+00:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000080/vauxhall_street_post_office_faces_closure.html With days to go until the official list of post office branch closures in Norfolk is published, Norwich South Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman Simon Wright warns that Vauxhall Street Post Office in Norwich will be included on that list. Mr Wright has been leading a city-wide campaign against post office closures in Norwich, and has collected well over 1,000 petition signatures opposing the closure of city branches. 2008-03-13T19:19+00:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000081/committee_receives_lorry_petition.html A petition of over 500 signatures was today handed over to the Norwich Joint Highways Committee meeting, objecting to proposals to allow some lorries to use the bus/cycle lane on Newmarket Road. 2008-03-13T18:13+00:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000079/lorry_petition_to_be_handed_to_authorities.html A 500 name petition will be handed to authorities on Thursday objecting to proposals to allow some lorries to use the Newmarket Road bus/cycle lane. The proposals, passed in January by the Norwich Joint Highways Committee, will allow some HGVs to use the bus/cycle lane at rush hour for a six month trial period from later this month. 2008-03-11T20:23+00:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000078/ten_of_norwichs_schools_win_safety_wear.html 10 of Norwich's Primary Schools (listed below) have won class-packs of high-visibility vest-wear as a result of entering a competition draw set up by 3M. Simon Wright, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Norwich South, wrote to all primary schools in Norwich to encourage them to apply for the draw. 2008-03-05T16:27+00:00 http://www.simonwright.org.uk/news/000077/norfolk__norwich_hospital_challenged_over_parking_charges.html The Welsh Assembly has announced that car parking at all hospitals in Wales will be free by 2011. The announcement comes at a time when charges have been put in the spotlight locally, with the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital coming out as one of the biggest beneficiaries in the country of car park charges, bringing in £1.2 million a year. 2008-03-03T09:26+00:00