The Rt Hon Malcolm Bruce MP

Christmas season column

The North East has been exceptionally fortunate with the weather in the run up to Christmas. While much of England and Wales was blanketed in fog causing major disruption to people trying to get home for Christmas we enjoyed bright sunny days ranging from mild to pretty cold.

Certainly my family and I have enjoyed some wonderful winter sunsets making us very much appreciate living in the North East.

It is at times like this that I wonder why everyone feels the need to pile into the crowded South East corner of Britain when we can enjoy such clear air and dry bright weather in less congested conditions.

Perhaps this explains the high house prices in our area with Aberdeen, Inverurie and Ellon recording the biggest increases in the past year.

Of course that is all very well for people who have bought their house or are moving into the area from a higher priced region like the South East or Edinburgh but it means real difficulties for people trying to make their first house purchase or unable to buy and finding affordable rented accommodation hard to find.

We must continue to require that there is a fair proportion of affordable housing among new developments.

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The delays to travel caused by fog at Heathrow have meant misery for thousands of people and affected many North East travellers. I was lucky in catching the last British Airways flight out on the Tuesday before Christmas - only delayed for two hours (although that was enough for me to miss a live television broadcast).

Many others faced several days without flights causing them to abandon travel plans or find other ways of making their way north or south.

Of course, I appreciate that weather is beyond the air services' control but the scale of the disruption does raise some questions. Heathrow has the highest rating for instrument landing meaning planes can land and take off in zero visibility.

However, because of the heavy traffic around Heathrow aircraft movements have to be limited in poor weather. In addition, fog makes moving aircraft around on the ground safely an added problem. This reduces the benefit of instrument landings.

I have written to BAA asking them to review flight movements for this kind of situation. Other airports were less badly affected and maybe could have shared some of the capacity.

I have also suggested domestic flights to the north of Scotland should be given extra protection in the event of cancellations because of the limited suitable surface alternatives.

For the many people who travel regularly in and out of Aberdeen on business reliability of the timetable is very important. Occasional delays may be unavoidable and acceptable but regular slippage makes planning very difficult.

Having to build a two or three hour delay into planning an air journey defeats the point of flying, which is the preferred option because of the very long journey times by surface transport.

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All this reinforces the case for high speed rail links to the north. I have supported the campaign for electrification, or failing that, much faster rail services to the north.

Following the difficulties facing GNER and the re-advertising of the franchise I and MSP Nora Radcliffe have expressed dismay that the East Coast mainline service is being described as primarily London to Edinburgh.

This has been the case for investment purposes for some time - something I have complained about repeatedly. Now the franchise is in danger of being downgraded so that the Edinburgh Aberdeen service is just an add-on.

So Nora and I have written to Scottish Transport Minister, Tavish Scott and UK Minister for Transport, Douglas Alexander calling on them to ensure that Aberdeen remains firmly on the East Coast main line.

I also support the call by Liberal Democrats Shadow Transport Secretary Alistair Carmichael for a commitment to high speed rail connections to the North of Scotland.

It is absurd that the train journey from Paris to Marseilles takes three hours while the similar distance from London to Aberdeen takes over seven.

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With travel and transport very much in the frame at the moment I welcome progress on the improvements to the Ellon and Aberdeen route at Tipperty.

This upgrade has been on and off the programme several times and is now definitely in the frame.

Consultation over the proposed fifth route, further inland than the others, will allow objections to be properly heard and addressed.

The truth is that whichever route is chosen will attract objections but the great number of users of this road will want to see this last section of dual; carriageway completed.

Eventually this will connect with the Western Peripheral Route and for those going into the city eventually it is to be hoped they will see the benefit of a long overdue new Don crossing which is also going through the planning process.

As always I stress all these developments will only work if they go hand in hand with public transport improvements including park and ride, bus lanes, a cross city rail commuter service and perhaps one day even trams.

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So far this column has focused very much on travel and transport issues directly affecting the North East but the Prime Minister used the week before Christmas to tour the Middle East holding talks to try and revitalise the peace process.

I genuinely wish him well in his endeavours but it will take more of a week's shuttle diplomacy to turn around the situation and build trust among Muslim an Arab communities which has been compromised by the invasion of Iraq and some of the anti terrorism rhetoric.

I mentioned my recent visit to Bethlehem in my last column and President Abbas has now called for new elections for both President and the Palestinian Authority. I question whether it is helpful for Ton Blair to leap to Mr Abbas support who needs to consolidate his authority with the Palestinian people and not be seen as a stooge of the west.

If elections go ahead the move could backfire leading to the election of a Hamas president and majority on the Assembly. In that situation it would seem that Israel and the Quarter may have to talk to them.

Of course the gamble is that the Palestinian people see Hamas as an obstacle for peace but at the moment Palestinian opinion is deeply divided as to an extent although in different ways so is Israel.

It is a troubled and uncertain world but on reflection so it was at the time of the first Christmas even if it was at a rare moment when there was peace throughout the Roman Empire.

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Nevertheless, at home with three very excited little Bruces, it remains a magical family time for most of us and I sincerely hope everyone who reads this column has had a Happy Christmas and I wish you a prosperous, successful New Year when your fears diminish and your hopes are fulfilled.

A Guid New Year to yin and a'.