Just when you thought we might be entering a quieter period for the summer Operation Brock on the M20 comes back into our lives. As I write this we are back to two lanes between Junctions 8 and 9, with a 50mph speed limit.
Planning and development have once again become a big national political issue, with the Government between a White Paper and new legislation, and the voters of Chesham and Amersham showing their teeth.
This week life has been dominated by talk about trains. There are two separate issues which will affect us in Ashford: the reform of the railways across the country and the new rescue package for Eurostar.
Probably the biggest event of the past few days is, oddly, something that is no longer happening. The removal of the Operation Brock barriers on the M20, which I have been urging on Ministers for a few weeks now, can be seen as East Kent’s own particular step on the road back to normality.
Despite the weather this has felt like the start of spring, with the cautious reopening of shops and pubs inspiring analogies with flowers re-emerging after the winter.
Like many others I mourn the news that the John Lewis store will not be re-opening when the shops return in April. It is another visible sign of how tough life is for all traditional retailers in an era of increasing online shopping.
Today campaign group Power for People thanked local Ashford MP, Damian Green, for supporting a new Bill in Parliament that would help rebuild local economies whilst increasing clean energy generation.
I have some form in voting against my own government when it comes to Covid restrictions. I will not just vote through any measure the government puts before Parliament. I scrutinise, ask questions and am prepared to stick my neck out if I think restrictions are unjustified.
In the midst of all the very serious issues affecting us at the moment is a long-running topic that is capable of causing emotions ranging from irritation to anger. I am talking about litter.
