02/07/2014 Look East - West

That's all from the BBC News at Six, so it's goodbye from me and on

In the programme tonight, the death of baby Luca.

Bedford hospital is criticised for failing to recognise

Just sent me home and told le there was nothing wrong with him `nd he

was fine, just felt as if it was all in my head.

We ask the minister responshble what he's doing to make cycling safer.

We'll be here later in the programme with the Legion's parents f`cing

tougher penalty for taking their children out of school will

The beach playing host to the UK's biggest colony of Little Terns.

The mother of a baby boy who died at Bedford Hospital has told

an inquest she felt like her son's life didn't latter.

10`month`old Luca Downie didd from a congenital heart defdct

Today the coroner said the hospital had failed to recognise

she says she was made to fedl like her son's life did not mattdr. He

died from a rear heart condhtion which was not detected desphte

numerous hospital admissions. She said doctors at Bedford Hospital

ignored her pleas for help. They told me there was nothing wrong with

them, he was fine. Ten`month`old Luca Downie died in Bedford Hospital

in April last year. Despite arriving by ambulance he was not seen by a

senior consultant until eight hours after admission. He was waiting to

see our cardiologist but his referral was delayed. Doctors could

have referred him soon after detecting a heart murmur whdn he was

just one`day`old. It was also detected that subsequent adlissions.

It was not referred until J`nuary. Something was wrong and you would

say please help me? It was horrible. I wanted him to bd seen

and knew there was something wrong. Following a two`day inquest, the

senior coroner said throughout his life...

The inquest acknowledged Luca Downie's condition would not have

been curable even if it had been detected sooner but have apologised

for lapses in its clear and have implemented a number of changes in

its paediatric department. News welcomed by his family but his

mother says she can never forgive the doctors.

In the week the Tour de France comes to Britain, the Government linister

responsible for cycling has admitted there are problems persuading people

to cycle in our towns and chties, but says Cambridge can lead

It follows a Look East poll which revealed that more th`n half

the population thinks the roads are too dangerous to cycle

We'll talk to the Minister in a moment, but first this report

When people complain that roads are not well designed for cyclists,

perhaps this is they mean. Cycle lanes that suddenly end, Carr is

having to cut across the lane for bikes going straight on. Thhs is

just one group. The county here recently secured ?4 million to make

improvements. We are now looking at these busy roads and proposhng

segregated cycle routes. About .8 million has been spent alre`dy in

South Cambridgeshire. We have four schemes, one of them is complete.

According to the latest figtres from the government, in 2012 in the East

of England, then cyclists dhed in road accidents. Just last Sdptember

a teenage cyclist was killed here in one of the roads going in and out of

Cambridge. Many people here feel it is too dangerous to cycle on the

roads and our poll suggests that is the view of half the adults in the

region. You have to prepare space for cycling. That makes people feel

safe and gets people onto bhcycles, gets people moving around the city

quicker. But if you take out a lane of traffic, there is alreadx a queue

of cars over there, well th`t not make traffic jams even worsd? What

you do is if you make places that feels safe for people cycling, then

you get more people out of cars and onto their bikes. With ?2 mhllion of

government funding still to be spent, plans for Cambridge hnclude a

new kind of bus stop. The plan is to build on its reputation as the UK

cycling capital. A short while ago I spoke to

Robert Goodwill, the Governlent s cycling minister, and asked him

if he was concerned so many people Cycling is relatively safe `nd the

number of casualties last ydar came down again and indeed, I am taking

steps to make sure the actu`l street environment is safe and we hntend to

make further progress. We are giving Cambridge ?2.8 million and where

they lead, the others will follow. The thing is that people do not feel

safe. You mentioned the mondy coming to Cambridge but that has to be

spent by next year, and there was a cyclist today saying if the major

roads had been funded like that they would never have been built. We made

an announcement about the money for this year but this is not something

that will be gone tomorrow. It is a long project to get more people

cycling and it is also about having better road markings and better

signalling and making sure where we can and we can have designated areas

for cyclists to write. You say it is not just about money but if you look

at the Netherlands, half of all school children go to school on

their bike, and we are at about 1%, and one of the reasons is bdcause

the amount of money being invested over the errors so much gre`ter

They tell you it is ?10 per head in the Netherlands. It is actu`lly ?24

in the Netherlands. Bearing in mind in the Netherlands, in some cities

40% of journeys are by cyclhng. The Prime Minister is clear he wants to

see a cycling revolution and I have to say that in Cambridge and so more

cities, that is where the rdvolution is happening. You cannot have a

revolution if half the population does not feel safe enough to take

part? Maybe people will be hnspired by the Tour de France and indeed on

many rural roads, traffic is not a problem. Once you get into cycling

you will get hooked very quhckly. You think the Tour de Francd will

help? Lets hope people will be inspired. It is starting in God own

county and is moving its wax down to London and I think it will help

people see cycling as a way of life. Thank you very much.

And later in the programme we'll be meeting the cycling veteran

Plans for a multi`million pound expansion of

Luton Airport have crossed the final hurdle with planning permission

The ten year plan will see capacity at the airport increase frol 12 to

Another busy day at London Luton Airport. Here, the latest tdrminal

opened by the Queen in 1999 and alongside it, the ugly facade of the

original 1970s version. Luton Airport has come a long way in its

history and I see this phrase now as a brilliant new chapter in hts

development. It is an excithng time and we are creating 5000 new jobs

and expanding the facilities and making it easier for passengers and

airlines to operate. They h`ve kept the final box in the planning

process increasing capacity from 12 to 18 million passengers. Ldt's take

a look at the three main ch`nges. The terminal itself will expand in

line with that sign. Parking is going to be easier and therd will be

a multistorey car park over there, and this road will be doubldd,

making the peak`time getawaxs easier. It is a great idea `nd from

being here seems too cramped. If it gets people in and out, that is the

most important thing. Campahgners say all this means is more pollution

and noise and the airport s`ys night flights will be reduced. We also

have a very sophisticated tracking and monitoring system to ensure the

aircraft avoids the most densely populated areas. Decisions `re made

and approved and it will be ten years before the work is