Latest news with #LaylaMoran
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Royal Mail 'failing countless people' in Oxfordshire, MPs say
Royal Mail is missing its targets in Oxfordshire and leaving "countless people in the lurch", a group of the county's Liberal Democrat MPs has said. In a joint statement, Calum Miller, Olly Glover, Layla Moran, Charlie Maynard and Freddie van Mierlo accused the company of "failing people here in Oxfordshire".The latest Royal Mail data found that 67.9% of first-class deliveries in OX postcodes were delivered on time over the past year - below its target of 93%.A spokesperson for Royal Mail said it was "working hard to deliver the standard our customers expect". The five Lib Dem MPs called for greater accountability on missed targets to help improve parcel delivery and for the industry regulator, Ofcom, to step in and "act on these unacceptable delays". "These missed targets are shocking and are leaving countless people in the lurch here in Oxfordshire and across the country," they said."This has been going on for far too long and people are understandably fed up of it."Postal workers are working hard to keep pace in an understaffed service – this isn't fair on them, or the individuals and businesses across Oxfordshire who need a well-staffed, reliable postal service they can trust."Royal Mail said: "We acknowledge that our quality of service is not yet where we want it to be, and we're working hard to deliver the standard our customers expect."It said the "vast majority" of first-class letters arrived the next working day across the UK, with 92.3% delivered within two days."It's also important to note that letter volumes have declined significantly in recent years," Royal Mail added."As a result, many households no longer receive post every day, which can understandably cause concern for customers who were used to more frequent deliveries." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Goodwill cash over three-year road closure
Businesses affected by the extended closure of a major route in Oxford will receive goodwill payments to "recognise the trouble the delays have caused", the rail minister has said. Some small, local businesses impacted by the delayed works on Botley Road will be eligible to receive one-off payments from an £850,000 government fund. The road has been closed since April 2023 as part of a £261m Network Rail project to upgrade Oxford Station and is expected to reopen in August 2026. Rail Minister Lord Hendy welcomed the additional support and said he was "glad the project is now on track". When the rail operator first outlined its plans the road was expected to be shut over two six-month periods, with a six-month break in-between in April 2023. But in September 2023 it announced there would be no break because works had run behind schedule. Then in July last year it said it would not reopen in October as planned due to "highly complex" pipework and the discovery of a Victorian-era arch. A new timetable was adopted in January this year, with reopening set for August 2026. During a visit to the site on Friday, Lord Hendy said: "I'm pleased that Network Rail can now offer payments to those eligible small, local businesses affected, and while it can't undo all the hardship businesses have faced, it recognises the trouble the delays have caused. "I will continue to hold Network Rail to account and engage with the local community," he said. "I look forward to the scheme being completed, so Oxford can benefit from more frequent and accessible transport links to boost growth in this bustling city." Businesses can apply for the one-off government payments through Network Rail, although a time scale has not yet been provided for when the funding would be handed out. Layla Moran, Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, said the payments would go "some way towards repairing the damage caused by the chaos and disruption of this project". "Today I breathe a massive sigh of relief, with support finally available for businesses struggling with the impact of the never-ending road closure," she continued. "Our vibrant local businesses now have a better chance to come out of the other side of this difficult period and thrive." The scheme follows the closure of Courtney Pianos after more than three decades - with the owner pinpointing the long delays to the Botley Road works as the main cause. Owner David Hogben told the BBC the effect the disruption had on the shop was "like falling off the edge of a cliff", adding there had been a 40% drop in sales since the closure. In April, five separate businesses affected by the works stopped paying their business rates and said they would not pay them until they received further financial support. At the time, Network Rail said it was supporting local firms with "independent, tailored advice" to apply for a reduction in their business rates. During Lord Hendy's visit to Oxford it was also revealed that costs for the scheme had risen to £261m - about £100m more than initially suggested. A new walkway and cycleway is also set to be completed this summer. Marcus Jones, Network Rail's western route director, said: "We know the delays to this project have been frustrating, and we're sorry for the disruption they've caused. "The good news is that the project is now firmly back on track, and we're making strong progress. "We're committed to keeping the community informed as we deliver a safer, more accessible Oxford station for everyone." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Piano shop blames closure on delayed road scheme Businesses near major road closure being 'supported' Business owner 'willing to go to jail' over rates Network Rail
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Decision to scrap rough sleeping law 'long-overdue'
The government's "long-overdue" decision to scrap a law criminalising rough sleeping has been welcomed by charities and formerly homeless people in the Prime Minister Angela Rayner called the Vagrancy Act "cruel and outdated" and said Labour would target organised begging by gangs instead.A Southampton charity welcomed the change and said the focus should be on "prevention, housing-led solutions, and genuine support".Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said funding should be made available to tackle underlying mental health issues. Figures from Southampton City Council show the average number of people rough sleeping on a single night in Southampton between 2010 and 2022 was in Autumn 2023, the government released figures that showed 46 people in Oxford were sleeping rough on a single the same year, for 17 out of 43 police forces in England and Wales, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) did not prosecute at all using the Vagrancy Act. Vince, from Southampton, is now securely housed, but was formerly said he was not aware at the time that he could be prosecuted for rough sleeping."Even if I had known, I was most worried about being robbed or assaulted, and staying warm and dry," he said."I think [the announcement] is a step in the right direction, but it doesn't address the lack of available housing, or how dangerous it can be to sleep rough."Layla Moran, Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, who campaigned for the act to be repealed, said she felt "pure joy" at the news."I can finally say that after seven years of dogged campaigning, this cruel and archaic law will be consigned to the history books," she said."It is not and should never have been acceptable to view homelessness as a crime." Chief executive of the Society of St. James, a Southampton-based homelessness charity, Tania Marsh called the move "long-overdue".But she also cautioned against any possible "unintended consequences" of new legislation."It is vital that any new legislation is carefully designed to avoid criminalising individuals pushed into street homelessness," she said."Our focus must remain on providing robust strategies that prioritise prevention, housing-led solutions, and genuine support for everyone experiencing homelessness in our community." Ms Jones told BBC Radio Solent on Wednesday she welcomed the act being repealed, but added: "We must make sure we don't slip back to high streets across the south being full up with people who are sleeping homeless."She said during her time as leader of Portsmouth City Council from 2014 to 2018, the act had been useful in helping to tackle anti-social behaviour associated with temporary Vagrancy Act was originally introduced in 1824 in response to rising homelessness and is expected to be repealed by spring next year. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Temporary congestion charge receives backlash from MP and residents
An MP has called a county council's plans for a congestion charge in a city "a knee-jerk solution imposed from outside".This how Labour's Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds described Oxfordshire County Council's consideration of a £5 temporary congestion charge for drivers to access the city centre on six routes.A petition opposing the scheme has also been launched and has gained more than 4,000 signatures since its launch on Gant, cabinet member for transport management, said should the council would be "particularly keen" to hear from residents if it decided to continue to consultation. The county council said action was needed because of delays to a planned trial of traffic filters, which cannot be introduced until Botley Road is reopened after overrunning works at Oxford Station and the railway bridge complete, which Network Rail announced for August next county council's cabinet will discuss the proposals on 17 approved, a six-week public consultation would begin on 23 June and the congestion charge scheme could be in place by the a statement, Ms Dodds said the scheme "certainly wasn't talked about during the local elections".She added that residents "want local transport solutions to be driven by local people as part of a plan that we can all take part in"."They don't want knee jerk solutions imposed from outside by Oxfordshire County Council."Lib Dem Layla Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, welcomed the proposals "which would give local residents the opportunity to have their say". Businesses across the city are calling for the county council to rethink the Mogford, chair of Oxford Business Action Group who owns a number of hotels and restaurants in the city said the plans were "ridiculous".The petition was set up by independent councillor Saj Malik, who represents Cowley, and Richard Parnham of campaign group Reconnecting calls the congestion charge "completely unfair" and would badly affect residents and businesses who are "already struggling" because of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) in East Oxford and Cowley and the closure of Botley Malik said "This drives a coach and horses through what Oxford's businesses expected would happen in the next few months."They were expecting more than a year to prepare for traffic filters."Now they'll have to try to prepare for a congestion charge within a few Gant said: "The temporary charge locations would be exactly the same as the trial traffic filter locations which were designed to address overall through traffic.""Should we decide to continue to consultation, we would be particularly keen to understand the impact the scheme may have on residents and businesses."The benefits of this proposed scheme would be felt across the city: better bus services, safer walking and cycling, easier journeys for permit holders including carers, blue badge holders and traders, and cleaner air. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Arab News
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
British politician urges UK to act on Israel as Gaza faces ‘cruel destitution'
LONDON: A British politician of Palestinian descent has called on the UK government to back its tougher rhetoric on Israel with tangible action, warning that people in Gaza are facing 'unbearably cruel levels of destitution.' Liberal Democrat Layla Moran said that although ministers had recently adopted a more critical tone, this had yet to translate into meaningful policy change, The Guardian reported on Sunday. 'I remain frustrated that while the government's words and tone have changed, in terms of concrete actions, not much has changed,' she said. Her comments come amid growing international pressure over Israel's expanded military campaign in Gaza and its restriction of humanitarian aid. On Wednesday, Hamish Falconer, minister for the Middle East, described Israel's aid blockade as 'appalling,' 'cruel,' and 'indefensible.' Foreign Secretary David Lammy also confirmed that the UK was in discussions with France and Saudi Arabia about recognizing a Palestinian state, ahead of a planned international conference in Paris in June. Moran urged the UK to move forward with recognition, arguing it would 'safeguard Palestinian interests and also send a very clear signal to Israel that there are consequences to their actions.' She also criticized the government for continuing to allow trade from illegal Israeli settlements and for supplying arms to Israel, adding: 'They're still arming Israel when they shouldn't be.'
