Tory Attempt To Re-write History

10.14.45am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 28th Jan 2005

Graham Oakes has criticised the Tories for letting down the electors of Weymouth. He was responding to the latest Tory leaflets and letters to the press which try to blame everyone else but themselves for the delay in building the Weymouth Relief Road.

"This is a major issue in the constituency and I can understand why local residents feel let down by the local Labour M.P. who promised to get them the road as long ago as 1997."

"But the campaign for a relief road has been a long standing issue and many local people are angry at the Tories attempt to twist the truth, in their latest desperate attempt to gain votes in this years elections."

The facts are that the Conservative controlled County Council carried out the public consultation in 1991, choosing in 1992 to ignore the most popular (Orange) route. They then spent large amounts of public money designing the road.

The elections in May 1993 resulted in a hung council, with a Lib Dem administration with Labour backing. Having invested so much money in the planning of the Brown route the council decided not to switch to the Orange route.

A developer had offered to build a road on the lines of the Orange route if allowed to develop a business park in its environs. After a long and expensive Public Inquiry this was eventually rejected by Nicholas Ridley, a Minister in the Tory Government. We now have the business park, but not the road!

"This is a crucial issue and one on which all parties could, and should, come together." Said Graham

The Liberal Democrats have made building the Relief Road the top highway priority should they take control of County Hall in May.