‘We need clarity on Beam Park not speculation.’

Today Trevor Mckeever Labour Prospective Beam Park Candidate writes in the Havering Daily.

With the amount of disinformation being put out to residents regarding the situation of the New Beam Park Station, I think we need clarity on this issue and not speculation.

The distress and anxiety this issue has caused some new residents needs to be addressed. That is why last Wednesday I arranged to lobby our Local MP Jon Cruddas at Parliament on behalf of South Havering and Beam Park Residents.

For those not aware a new Train Station was promised for Beam Park in exchange for developing the site between the A1306 and the new A13. The development was to be made up of residential flats, houses, and industrial units, also promised was a new nursery, medical centre, community centre, wetlands, open green spaces, a Bus Terminus and of course the new Train Station.

One reason cited for the Train Station was, the twenty-minute commute into London, also with such transport Facility’s in place the number of car journeys would be reduced, leading to environmental benefits such as less PM10 and NO2 Pollutants, less parking spaces would be required, also with an influx of new residents, and Rainham Station having a zero capacity for new commuters a new station would be required.

 Beam Park Station was a major contributary factor, for the go ahead for development of the site. Approval was granted by Havering’s Tory council in conjunction with the then Tory Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Last September we found out that the Department for Transport was not going to authorise the opening of the new Beam Park Station over concerns about economic viability.

Since this announcement, residents have stated that they have been told the funding for the station has been pulled, the builders have dropped out, and the station is dead in the water, this was news to me, so I wanted to find out for the residents if this was fact or fiction.

I made an appointment to meet Jon Cruddas at Parliament, which took place last Wednesday, I spent two hours in discussions regarding Beam Park Station and other local issues. With regards to the Train Station Jon Cruddas said, Firstly I secured a Parliamentary debate in the House of Commons, Wendy Morton MP, Parliamentary under secretary of state in the department of transport attended, I put the case forward for the implementation of the new station. I continue to work to secure the Train Station for the residents, there are still ongoing discussions, I have a further meeting with the Rail Minister this month.

Trevor told the Havering Daily: “I hope this now clarifies the situation regarding Beam Park Station, the Station is still fully funded, the builders of the station have not pulled out, and the station is not dead in the water, contrary to what some people have implied and would like you to believe. There is still time to sign the petition in support of Beam Park Station which can be found on the Jon Cruddas web sit.”