Many of Mark’s constituents commute into the City of London on the Greater Anglia (Abellio) Liverpool Street Line. Therefore, Mark has met numerous times with the Managing Director of Abellio Greater Anglia, Mr Jamie Burles to discuss the rebuild of Wickford Station, amongst other issues.
Mark meeting Abellio Greater Anglia’s management in his Westminster office, to encourage them to submit their planning application to rebuild Wickford Station
After numerous meetings, Greater Anglia have finally submitted their long awaited planning application to redevelop Wickford Station, to Basildon Borough Council. The plans include a landmark clock tower, covered platforms, a coffee kiosk, and, importantly, a double counter for staff to sell tickets to the travelling public. If the plans are approved by Basildon Council, it is hoped construction will begin in the summer of 2024.
In conjunction with this, Mark actively campaigned against the rail industry's ‘misguided’ proposals to close local railway ticket offices, which would have included Hockley, Rayleigh and Wickford respectively.
As part of a sustained effort to prevent these proposals becoming a reality, Mark wrote to the Rail Minister, Huw Merriman MP, talked to him personally and also spoke out publicly in a debate at Westminster, on the subject in which he said the following:
“In all seriousness, I offer him and the Government some genuine advice: look around. The proposals are completely unloved. They are not popular even among Conservative Back Benchers—quite, quite the opposite. I urge the Minister to accept that a mistake has been made. It may not have been his mistake, but I say to him: take the hint, drop it, get rid of it and retreat gracefully. Do not press forward with this. The House of Commons does not want it and nor do our constituents.”
Mark was therefore delighted that common sense prevailed. The plans proved highly unpopular in my constituency not least among my travelling constituents, who felt very strongly about this issue; so Mark was therefore delighted that our popular ticket offices have now been saved!
Mark pictured outside Hockley ticket office, after a successful campaign to fight against the planned proposals to close Ticket Offices.
In line with Mark's 'Can the Cones' campaign, Mark has met with representatives from a number of utility companies, including CityFibre, Cadent Gas and UK Power Networks.
Mark meeting with James Harrison, London Network Director, Cadent Gas and Alice Offley, Head of External Affairs, at Westminster, regarding roadworks in his constituency
Mark has also been involved in campaigns to maintain local bus services and has made representations to both First Buses and Arriva about proposed changes in local bus timetables.