H.M. TREASURY NEWS RELEASE

HM Treasury News Release

150/99
16 September 1999

SEEING IMPROVED PUBLIC SERVICES IN ACTION ALAN MILBURN VISITS NOTTINGHAM TRANSPORT SCHEMES

A concerted autumn campaign to shine a spotlight on the Government's improvements in local services and drive standards up to the levels of the best took a further turn today as Chief Secretary Alan Milburn visited a range of innovative local transport schemes in the Nottingham area.

He is determined to see for himself what is happening at a local level to deliver the Government's modernisation and reform programme. Following a look at Youth Court activities in Teesside last week he will today be visiting; a highly acclaimed local rail service, the Robin Hood Line; a rural bus scheme which has links to it; a safe route to school project operated by Whyburn School; and the Rainworth Bypass road scheme.

Alan Milburn commented:

" The Government is determined to drive forward its modernisation programme to provide the high quality services throughout the country that we all want to see.

A lot of imaginative and innovative work is going on at a local level to deliver the Government's commitment to a more integrated transport system. I am very pleased to be here in the Nottingham area today to see for myself what Nottingham City Council and the County Council are doing to reduce congestion, improve safety and encourage the greater use of public transport."

The Chief Secretary will be meeting a number of senior representatives from Nottingham City Council and the County Council as he travels on the Robin Hood Line. The lines eleven new stations have been specifically designed to be accessible by people with disabilities and for interchange with car, bus and cycle.

As he visits Newstead Abbey he will be learning about the regular bus services that are being provided to this major tourist attraction, with links to the Robin Hood Line.

He will be discussing with school staff and local authority representatives the safe route to school project being operated by Whyburn School. The aim of such schemes is to reduce accidents around schools as well as reduce the number of cars used to transport children to and from school.

The Rainworth Bypass is part of the Mansfield Ashfield Regeneration Route, designed to open up land for development and improve access to the former coalfield area.