Latest news with #AndrewPakes
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
MP welcomes refusal of adult gaming centre plan in Peterborough
An MP has welcomed the decision to refuse planning permission for a new adult gaming would have been located in the former Wilko unit at Peterborough's Hereward Cross Shopping documents stated it was refused over concerns it would "harm the vitality and viability of the Broadway area".The city's Labour Co-op MP Andrew Pakes said the decision "reflected growing concerns" about the number of gambling and vaping outlets. Several applications for new adult gaming centres have been submitted in recent months, prompting calls from residents and civic organisations for action to preserve the character and safety of the city May, Pakes raised this issue with the prime minister, urging the government to change the law and make it easier for councils to refuse applications, so that "communities such as mine can take back control" of city MP is part of a coalition of 30 councils and MPs campaigning for gambling and planning laws to be changed."This is a welcome decision by the council to refuse this latest application," he said."People are fed up with our streets being turned into the Wild West by gambling shops."Nothing says more about the challenges facing Peterborough than the rise in fruit machine stores and vape shops. "We need to call time on this decline and ensure councils have the power to deal with the uncontrolled growth of stores like these." Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Concerns Peterborough will lose identity if councils merge
Options for a new-look council system have been discussed as part of local government re-organisation seven authorities in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have been working together to identify viable options, which could see Peterborough merge with neighbouring councillors are arguing for a "Greater Peterborough" option, which would see Peterborough merge with part of northern Huntingdonshire only, to help it preserve the city's discussions follow a national government requirement to replace district, county and city councils with a simpler unitary, single-council system. Original plans put forward by the county's councils suggested there should be two new unitary authorities covering the whole county, with different options being North West Cambridgeshire MP Sam Carling and Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes - both Labour - expressed concerns that including Peterborough as part of a "mega council" would make it harder for local areas to focus on their own needs and proposed there should be three councils across Cambridgeshire, with one based on Greater Cambridge, one based on Greater Peterborough and one focusing on rural Mid Cambridgeshire, the Local Democracy Reporting Service would see Peterborough merge with part of northern Huntingdonshire. At a full council meeting on Wednesday, the options were discussed and while a number of members supported the Greater Peterborough option, Conservative group leader Wayne Fitzgerald labelled it "opportunistic" and "last-minute".He said: "In Fenland, they'll have a completely different view to us. In Huntingdon, they don't want anything to do with us whatsoever, the liberals would rather go south. So, I suspect what will happen is this will be imposed upon us."A final proposal is set to be submitted at the end of November and the government will then decide how the councils should be councils are expected to be in place from April 2028. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
21-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Cambridgeshire MPs put forward alternative council proposal
Cambridgeshire MPs have put forward alternative proposals for local government re-organisation, which they say would protect "what makes Peterborough great".Original plans put forward by the county's eight councils suggested there should be two new unitary authorities covering the whole county, with different options being Labour MPs Andrew Pakes and Sam Carling said this was not in the best interests of Peterborough, and have made their own suggestion. They want a "Greater Peterborough" area, along with a "Greater Cambridge" and a "Mid Cambridgeshire" authority. The proposal will be considered by Peterborough City Council at a full council meeting on Wednesday. The changes are happening because the government announced it wants all local councils to become unitaries. Currently, Cambridgeshire operates under a two-tier system, with a county council in charge of things like social care, education and local highways. Smaller district councils then look after planning, bin collections and social housing. Peterborough already operates as a unitary authority, with a population of about 220,000. The government has previously indicated it wants each authority to oversee at least 500,000 residents in with a large amount of growth in the area, some people think there could be an argument for authorities to be slightly Carling, the MP for North West Cambridgeshire, said he believed the three-council model would be best for residents. "A Mid Cambridgeshire council would allow rural areas across East Cambridgeshire, Fenland and parts of Huntingdonshire to form an authority that can deliver effectively on residents' priorities, while a Greater Peterborough council encompassing the most high-growth areas of northern and western Cambridgeshire could better regulate and plan that growth."Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes said: "Putting Peterborough into a mega council would make it harder to attract investment and focus on the challenges we have as a city."He thinks a Greater Peterborough council "would allow a renewed focus on protecting what makes Peterborough great". He said it would also ensure there was "a local lens on areas in western Huntingdonshire", which would not be "lost or swallowed up into a super-council covering a huge geographical area". Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Hybrid locomotives aim to halve freight emissions
New locomotives that run on electricity and renewable fuels could reduce rail freight emissions by more than half on a typical journey. A £150m investment was made into Class 99 locomotives, which were unveiled in Peterborough at GB Railfreight (GBRf) headquarters on Thursday. Once testing was complete, the new fleet could enter commercial service to move consumable goods and materials across the country this winter. Andrew Pakes, the MP for Peterborough, said it was a "game changer for our city and the national effort to build a greener, more sustainable future". The Class 99s run on electric lines where available and switch to renewable fuels elsewhere. They aimed to reduce the industry's carbon footprint and ensure goods arrived at their destinations sooner. John Smith, CEO of GBRf, said the locomotives "set a new benchmark for performance and sustainability in UK rail freight". "It's massive," he said. "This is seven years in the making from the point of having the idea to replace our existing diesel trains with this bi-mode locomotive, to ordering them, to financing them, to them actually being built and delivered to the UK." Mr Smith hoped the decarbonising locomotives would help grow rail freight in the UK as it was "far less carbon emitting than road transport". Transports from GBRf included materials for house building, aviation fuel to airports, clothes, white goods, wine and materials used to heat homes. Jon Garner, senior operation training manager, told the BBC it was "a real pleasure" to drive and "fantastic for our office and the community". "I've spent about nine months talking about the locomotives and looking at them when we visited Stadler in Valencia. They're our babies." Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, said he looked forward to seeing the locomotives decarbonising the rail network. He said: "With robust protections for fair network access and ambitious growth targets a part of our plans for Great British Railways, we're ensuring the rail freight sector has what it needs to thrive so it can continue removing thousands of HGVs from our roads whilst delivering huge economic benefits across the country." The new locomotives had hybrid power, faster acceleration, reduced downtime, and increased productivity. Pakes added the investment would not only help cut emissions, but also create local jobs and drive economic growth. "Peterborough is proud to be at the forefront of Britain's rail freight innovation," he said. "I am proud to see our city playing such a key role in shaping the future of rail freight." Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More like this story Minister opens city's £5.75m rail maintenance hub Rail boss 'surprised and thrilled' at OBE award Related internet links GB Railfreight
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Peterborough hybrid locomotives aim to halve freight emissions
New locomotives that run on electricity and renewable fuels could reduce rail freight emissions by more than half on a typical journey.A £150m investment was made into Class 99 locomotives, which were unveiled in Peterborough at GB Railfreight (GBRf) headquarters on testing was complete, the new fleet could enter commercial service to move consumable goods and materials across the country this winter. Andrew Pakes, the MP for Peterborough, said it was a "game changer for our city and the national effort to build a greener, more sustainable future". The Class 99s run on electric lines where available and switch to renewable fuels aimed to reduce the industry's carbon footprint and ensure goods arrived at their destinations Smith, CEO of GBRf, said the locomotives "set a new benchmark for performance and sustainability in UK rail freight". "It's massive," he said. "This is seven years in the making from the point of having the idea to replace our existing diesel trains with this bi-mode locomotive, to ordering them, to financing them, to them actually being built and delivered to the UK."Mr Smith hoped the decarbonising locomotives would help grow rail freight in the UK as it was "far less carbon emitting than road transport". Transports from GBRf included materials for house building, aviation fuel to airports, clothes, white goods, wine and materials used to heat Garner, senior operation training manager, told the BBC it was "a real pleasure" to drive and "fantastic for our office and the community". "I've spent about nine months talking about the locomotives and looking at them when we visited Stadler in Valencia. They're our babies." Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, said he looked forward to seeing the locomotives decarbonising the rail said: "With robust protections for fair network access and ambitious growth targets a part of our plans for Great British Railways, we're ensuring the rail freight sector has what it needs to thrive so it can continue removing thousands of HGVs from our roads whilst delivering huge economic benefits across the country."The new locomotives had hybrid power, faster acceleration, reduced downtime, and increased added the investment would not only help cut emissions, but also create local jobs and drive economic growth. "Peterborough is proud to be at the forefront of Britain's rail freight innovation," he said."I am proud to see our city playing such a key role in shaping the future of rail freight." Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
