Looking to the future: Redditch MP's new job at Dept of Transport - The Redditch Standard

Looking to the future: Redditch MP's new job at Dept of Transport

Redditch Editorial 1st Apr, 2020   0

REDDITCH MP Rachel Maclean has been deputising for Transport Secretary Grant Shapps at some of the Prime Minister’s top level Cobra meetings on coronavirus.

Mrs Maclean, who’s a junior minister in the Department of Transport, had been due to visit the Ecumenical Centre in Redditch last Friday but was forced to cancel as the Cobra meeting on that day was dealing with the impact of the virus on the UK transport network.

The MP has a large remit at the DoT with responsibility of looking at ways to decarbonise the transport.

“It’s one of our worst emitters of pollution and to reach that target of zero emissions by 2050 that effectively means electric vehicles,” she said.




“It’s about asking how we can encourage people to take up electric vehicles, it’s about charging points, the price of these vehicles, their range and so on.

“We’re also looking at future transport and how it will change in the years to come, which is quite exciting.


“We’re going to be setting up ‘future of transport zones’ where people will be able to trial new forms like e-scooters and drones.

“We’re looking to trial e-scooters in a real world situation and possibly legalise them and of course the biggest makers of e-scooters is Halfords and it’s good to be doing something that could possibly benefit Redditch.

And although it may have disappeared from the headlines, Mrs Maclean is also working on Brexit.

“It’s making sure we are Brexit prepared across the transport sector and making the port of Dover Brexit ready and making sure it has enough staff.”

However despite her workload she insisted the people of Redditch would never be neglected.

“It’s great being in a position to make real change, but this won’t detract from my ability to be the local MP for Redditch as I have a great team of people t osupport me.”

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