New Newark MP Robert Jenrick pledges to improve transport links

Robert Jenrick, the newly-elected MP for Newark, told members of Newark Business Club this morning he wanted to improve transport links to the town - and would look at developing a relief road south of Newark.

In his first official engagement as the newly-elected MP, he said he was hoping to get funding for improvements to the Nottingham to Lincoln railway line, which passes through Newark, in the next six months.

Mr Jenrick said it was up to him to progress the project further after Government ministers backed it during the run-up to the by-election.

"If we can achieve funding for that in the next six months, that would be a significant step forward," he said.

Chancellor George Osborne said he wanted to see double the number of trains on the line and at least one non-stop train to Nottingham every hour.

Mr Jenrick said an improved east-west rail link would be beneficial for businesses, shops, and visitors and was aiming to improve travel to the area by car and by bus as well.

"There are other things I would like to progress, like a southern relief road, which is long-overdue some progress," he said.

"I would like to use the good relationship which we have built with the Government to see how we can progress this because it would be a big boost for the town."

Catesby Estates has outline planning permission for 3,150 homes south of Newark, known as the Growth Point, which would include a southern relief road.

Construction work should have started last year but stalled under the conditions of the economic climate.

Mr Jenrick also hinted at improvements to access through Kelham, which is currently via the single-carriageway Kelham Bridge.

"There's many issues to be dealt with, members here at the business club have been at the heart of many of these issues, particularly infrastructure, which are now high on the agenda for people in the Government," he said.

He said the by-election had put Newark on the map in a way which hadn't happened for some time, and he would work to keep it on the map.

"Everyone that came here has said to me, what an amazing town, it has good transport links, and we all need this, you need this, and that's the message we want to go out and sell to the rest of this country," he said.

"We need to look at how we can get more jobs in the area, how can we generate the conditions for more jobs."

Business club chairman Michelle Allen said Mr Jenrick's support was exactly what she wanted from the new MP.

"We wanted whoever was the winning candidate to engage with the business club and work with us on the Castle to Castle, Nottingham to Lincoln rail line campaign," she said.

"Newark doesn't sell itself well enough to the rest of the country, hopefully with what has happened we can publicise Newark more and engage businesses in the area and that will help employment in the town."