Following the general election in December the House of Commons has had to elect new chairs of its Select Committees. Yesterday (29/01/2020) Huw Merriman of the Conservative Party and a Member of Parliament for Bexhill and Battle was elected as chair of the Transport Select Committee. 

Huw Merriman has been a Member of Parliament and a member of the Transport Select Committee since 2015. 

Transport campaigns on Huw Merriman's website:

• Upgrades to the road network around Bexhill and Battle: "The A21 is the UK’s most dangerous stretch of road. It is a key trunk road for the constituency linking us to the M25, London and airports. It is managed by Highways England.  It is wholly unacceptable that such a key route it is not a dual-carriage way from start to end. Villages along the A21 such as Hurst Green experience noise, congestion and accidents." 
• On pavement parking it states: "I have called for Parliament to give more powers to local authorities to tackle anti-social pavement parking in town centres. Those most impacted by anti-social pavement parking tend to be those who have disabilities or are with young children."
• Parking enforcement: "In both Bexhill and Battle towns, the issue of parking causes difficulties for residents and traders alike. On road parking is free for the first two hours but cars are staying all day and other cars are parking on double-yellow lines and in loading bays. Anti-social parking is a danger and causes traffic chaos. It puts people off shopping in our towns. Accidents will happen and shops will close if we do not find a solution."
• Improving Local Rail Services including fairer rail ticket prices. 
• High Speed Rail from Bexhill to London: "I am working with local Conservative MPs and Councillors and the rail authorities to deliver direct trains from Bexhill to London (via Ashford). A fleet of new trains will deliver a journey time of just 78 minutes.  I will work with our partners to deliver the business case and lobby to turn this into reality."

In a debate in the Commons Chamber on the climate emergency Huw Merriman also expressed his support for the Heathrow Airport expansion and retrofitted hydrogen trains. 

CIHT looks forward to working with the new chair and the other members of the Transport Select Committee on future enquiries. 

Sources: https://www.huwmerriman.org.uk, https://members.parliament.uk