Jeremy Hunt MP meets with Secretary of State Patrick McLoughlin MP to discuss Haslemere Station Multi Storey CarPark
On Monday 13th January, Jeremy Hunt MP and Councillor Libby Piper, Mayor for Haslemere met with Patrick McLoughlin, Secretary of State for Transport (Cllr Piper and Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin pictured above) in Westminster to discuss proposals for a new multi storey car park for Haslemere Station as an antidote to the parking problems which the town consistently struggles with.
Haslemere Town Council have been busy working behind the scenes to come up with a proposal for part financing the scheme and this proposal was received very positively by Mr McLoughlin at the meeting who commended the Town Council for their hard work. Whilst the business case is still being examined, the Department for Transport has, exclusively as a result of the meeting, committed to setting up a working party with the town and borough councils in order to finalise a viable business proposal for the building of the car park at the station to complement any Government finance.
Jeremy Hunt MP says, ‘Mr McLoughlin clearly recognises the benefits of a multi storey at the station for commuters and residents and we are delighted to have obtained his personal assurance that he and his civil servants will work hard to establish the best possible plan for Haslemere. There continues to be overwhelming support from residents with over two hundred emails having been received and the few who have raised concerns have requested further consultation. Over the years a significant amount of public consultation and research has been undertaken and so my immediate focus continues to be securing the solid financial commitment of the Department as soon as possible. It is a campaign which serves the whole community and is solution focussed and whilst I support full community engagement on the subject I am keen to get the backing from the Department of Transport as a priority before it’s too late.’