David Ruffley

The Central Suffolk PCT area- which includes Stowmarket and Needham Market - has been shown to be the fifth worst area in the whole of the United Kingdom for access to NHS dentists. New research says that there is just one dentist for every 5,000 people in central Suffolk.

David Ruffley is seeking confirmation from the leader of the Post Office National Consultation Team that St Olaves Post Office in Bury St Edmunds will remain open. This follows concern expressed to him by his constituents in the St Olaves area of the town.

Local residents collected nearly 200 signatures on a petition protesting against the continued cutting back of Post Office services which could lead to more post office closures. They are worried that Mr Neil Clarke, the sub-postmaster at St Olaves may be forced to close if his business becomes unviable.

Rail commuters living in Bury St Edmunds, Thurston and Elmswell who travel daily to Liverpool Street station have been told that they cannot use their tickets to travel via Cambridge while the Ipswich Tunnel is closed for engineering works from mid July.

A resident of Bury St Edmunds who has commuted to London for twenty years on Anglia Railways alerted David Ruffley to the inflexible attitude of the Greater Anglia Rail Franchise which goes by the name of 'ONE' to indicate that there is now only one operator for London's Liverpool Street station.

As a result of his campaigning and lobbying of ONE (Greater Anglia Rail Franchise), David Ruffley has received the following statement from Peter Meades, PR manager at ONE:

'We will arrange for tickets to be valid for travel to/from London Liverpool Street on services via Cambridge during the tunnel closure period.'

David Ruffley will officially open the new Early Years Garden at Bacton Primary School on Friday, 28 May at 1.30 p.m. at the invitation of Mrs Caroline Coles, Headteacher.

The School was disappointed that their application to the National Lottery was unsuccessful so they turned to David Ruffley for help. David successfully lobbied the two Suffolk County Councillors who represent the School's catchment area, Sue Sida-Lockett and Jeremy Clover. They were each able to provide £500 for the garden from their locality budget.

David Ruffley has been invited to address the members of the Bury St Edmunds Young Farmers Club on Thursday, 1 April at the Farmers Club in Bury. The meeting starts at 7.30 p.m.

David said: 'I am delighted to have the opportunity to meet Young Farmers members in Bury St Edmunds. I keep in regular contact with the farming sector in my constituency. It will be good to meet the younger generation who are our future in farming.

Michael Howard has announced that he is withdrawing the support of the Conservative Party from the Butler Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction.

David Ruffley has demanded a personal meeting with Tesco at their headquarters to continue his fight to secure the future of the Moreton Hall Post Office in the One Stop Shop in Lawson Place. This is under threat following the takeover by Tesco of the chain of One Stop Shops.

As a result of his intensive lobbying he will be meeting Ian Crick, the senior retail strategist at Tesco's national HQ, on Wednesday, 10 March at 2.00 p.m.

What's the difference between the Central and Eastern A14 interchanges in Bury St Edmunds and a car park? The answer is by around 2010 there won't be any. The roundabouts will be gridlocked. Jammed up. As a car driver you might just as well put your handbrake on and sit there.

The Highways Agency tell me they are worried about traffic backing up the slip roads and onto the A14. So even the A14 carriageways will be clogged up- never mind the roundabouts in the town.

David Ruffley MP for Bury St Edmunds, today published new research compiled by Conservatives showing that the police authority levy on Suffolk's council tax bills has soared by 133% per cent under Labour. This year, the police precept is forecast to be £120 on Band D bills, compared to £51 in 1997, an increase of £69 a year.

David said: