11/09/2013 Look East - West

Hello and welcome. Tonight, forced pensioners having to move out with

no guarantee of a new place. It makes me feel tearful. That and

no guarantee of a new place. It multi—million pound deal to bring

jobs and leisure facilities to Silverstone. Welcomed by some but

how will the new a 14 affect already congested local roads? And back

how will the new a 14 affect already the future, the project to return

Dozens of pensioners are being forced out of their homes to make

way for a multi—million pound new care facility. Many of the residents

at Langley Court in Saint Ives are in their 80s and 90s. They were

called to a coffee morning to hear what was termed exciting news. When

they arrived, they were told that their sheltered housing was being

demolished. Understandably, some strong feelings there tonight. Yes,

I have been speaking to people here for much of the day, and to say

I have been speaking to people here understatement. Many are upset and

angry. Angry at the way it has been happening at all. It's been her

angry. Angry at the way it has been for 15 years. But she could be out

by Christmas. Devastated, really devastated. I just could relieve my

ears. At 92, she didn't think she was going anywhere. It wrecks my

heart. Even the thought of it now, it makes me feel tearful. In all

honesty. Because I love my daughters daily but I wouldn't like to live

with them and I don't think they would like me to live with them

either! It hasn't worked, they are happy and we are happy as we are. 50

people live at Langley Court. Today the mood is more up eight but they

were told about a closing at a coffee morning. Disgusted, really.

The way it was sprung upon us. When we got the letter, they said it

The way it was sprung upon us. When good news for the residents and

The way it was sprung upon us. When people of Saint Ives. It is not

The way it was sprung upon us. When for me if I have got to move out. I

do understand, . The plan is falling liquid to be demolished and in its

place, a home for people who need a greater level of care. This is what

is planned to be created. It is greater level of care. This is what

development. It offers more carers, and they say they cannot ignore

development. It offers more carers, has an ageing ablation. But it's not

for everyone, even at 92, some are not ready for full—time care. Mum

doesn't need that, doesn't want not ready for full—time care. Mum

lose her independence. My sister and I help her but she wouldn't let

lose her independence. My sister and take her independence away. They

don't know when they will go but it could be before the end of the year.

Some people have made arrangements to leave the home here but others

insist they are not going anywhere, they going to stay, but something is

going to have to give. They will be a new centre here by 2015. The

company behind it say it must do all it can to try and ease pressures on

what can be struggling care system. denied that breaking the news to

residents at a coffee morning was insensitive. We wanted to make sure

they could ask questions in real time of the staff who were there in

front of them, who could give them all the answers that they required

was felt much better and sensitive to do that rather than perhaps to

write the residents, where they might be worried about what they

were reading and have no immediate answered. But this was branded as

exciting news, for most of those residents, this extra care facility

you are creating there won't be residents, this extra care facility

any use to them, they don't need it. But isn't actually the case. Around

20% of the residents who already live there do need some kind of

care, and therefore they would like to be eligible for the new scheme.

By 2021, there will be 10,000 more elderly people with dementia in

Cambridgeshire, all throughout the country, councils and organisations

like us are making plans to either build new extra care facilities

like us are making plans to either housing, which in the future, won't

really meet the needs of a growing population who have higher levels of

dependency. Is there not room for both of these facilities? Could

dependency. Is there not room for not have left the sheltered housing

where it was and found another site? The sites that are available

for such facilities are not around at the moment. Also, namely Court is

refurbishment in the next few years —— Langley Court. So actually, it is

a sensible decision to make the change now. So this is not because

your company will be paid more for extra care facilities than it is for

sheltered housing, it's not about money? Not at all. Luminus is a

nonprofit making organisation, we understand it is of concern, we

nonprofit making organisation, we give it our guarantee to make it as

stress—free as possible them and we guarantee that would ever they

choose to do, we will try and make it the highest priority they get

their choice. If they move into it the highest priority they get

of our extra care schemes, or a traditional shelter scheme, we will

make sure they feel safe and secure Next, the Transport Secretary says

commuters in this region will be some of the main beneficiaries of a

new country virtual high—speed rail line. The idea is for eight —— HS2

Northamptonshire up to Birmingham. It would then mean that more trains

could run on the existing tracks, easing the pressure on commuter

services here. The commuter trains into London from places like Milton

Keynes are some of the most crowded in Britain. We can't fit enough

Keynes are some of the most crowded Without the capacity provided by

Saint two, —— by HS2, the main roads and railways linking our largest

overwhelmed. We are joined from correspondent. This sounds like

overwhelmed. We are joined from new attempt to sell the idea to

overwhelmed. We are joined from government has come out fighting

today. It is, with a new argument, Saint two won't just provide fast

train services to Birmingham but with those fast trains, there will

be more space on the other rail government reckons not Keynes could

get another 26th services a day government reckons not Keynes could

London, Northampton could it get extra services, these are two of the

most congested passenger routes extra services, these are two of the

the country. We spoke to passengers this evening who said they could see

the benefits of this. The local this evening who said they could see

is also inevitably the idea. There are lots of stations along the main

line, passengers from the stations into a very crowded trains at the

peak, there is not enough room on the existing line for the InterCity

trains, four commuter trains, for freight trains. I have to say not

many MPs have changed their view is of this, most people here still

many MPs have changed their view is to have a lot of concerns about

many MPs have changed their view is project. The first concerns comes

from people like the MP for South Northamptonshire who is worried

about the route, the chaos and disruption and noise for those on

objections are from people who say this is an expensive vanity project,

can we really afford it in these austere times? Richard Bacon, the

Norfolk MP, said that there are austere times? Richard Bacon, the

rail lines in our region which would benefit from a slice of the money

that is currently being set aside for thing macro. —— HS2. 55% of

that is currently being set aside public are currently opposed to

that is currently being set aside The government still has a lot to

A multi—million pound investment has been agreed for part of Silverstone

motor racing circuit. The owners have signed a deal with the property

million deal will provide a huge It's the colour—coded vision to

million deal will provide a huge try —— transform Silverstone, which

is planning to develop almost all the 300 and Dean Baker is on the

referee on the track. Its owners have struck a deal with a commercial

company for a 999 year lease, which could create over 8000 permanent

jobs. If you look at what we have, community here, this will be four

times as big. When you are coming off the road, the area to join left

will be built out with industrial units, offices, workshops, as you go

down towards the right, that will be a whole new Lodge area of industrial

units as well. In order to safeguard the future of the British Grand

units as well. In order to safeguard a few years ago, they realised they

had to borrow big. Now that gamble has paid off. This new deal means

not only is the landscape around me going to change, but the debt is

written off. We went out on a limb because we felt it was our job to

try and keep the British Grand Prix in Britain. There was a time when it

was disappearing fast. We had to modifications, we have Moto GP,

was disappearing fast. We had to is the place to be, we are able

was disappearing fast. We had to wipe out all our debts completely

with this. The land has planning permission for a hotel, retail and

industrial developments. Soon plans will be announced to upgrade the

track. It's a first—class track will be announced to upgrade the

attractive for both the spectators and you can always make a track

attractive for both the spectators for them, more grandstands. We

wanted to do things on this side of the circuit, where we will build a

hotel so there is more than can the circuit, where we will build a

done. The planned for the circuit are expected next month. For a venue

that nearly lost it all a few years Are currently has ruled out suicide

in the case of a Bedford mother Are currently has ruled out suicide

was found dead after going missing on Easter Sunday. Her family were

violence or that she had taken her own life. She vanished after a

to you. That is growing confidence that, come next June, the skies will

be buzzing once more. Still to come, the project to

restore thousands of acres of peatland. And a former commander of

forces in Afghanistan says the government is creating a part—time

Army as it cuts the number of regular soldiers.

All this week, we've been looking at the plan to build a new toll road on

the A14 in Cambridgeshire. It would mean part of the existing A14 would

be demolished to stop drivers using the old road. So if you don't want

to pay the toll, the Highways Agency is suggesting drivers could avoid it

by travelling via St Neots using the A1 and the A428. But will those

roads be able to cope with the extra traffic? Stuart Ratcliffe did the

commute this morning. Thrapston, Northamptonshire.

Destination Cambridge. And so far so good.

We are just approaching the junction for Ellington on the A14 and, in

2019, this is where you would take the toll road cutting through those

fields, working through the countryside before rejoining the A14

at the Cambridge services. But we are carrying on on the old A14 to

take the recommended diverging route, going down the A14 and across

the A428. We are leaving the existing A14, this is the A1 above

us and the alternative route if you did not want to take the toll. So

down towards St Neots and Cambridge and we have the problems start. And

this is what people are worried about. Only a single carriageway at

the moment heading towards Caxton. The car has officially ground to a

halt. And if it's like this now, people in St Neots are really

worried about the future. When the A428 is clogged up with traffic, I

have experienced the problems that causes around St Neots, and I do not

want to see that regularly. The traffic at St Neots will be

horrendous. We will be looking at chaos in time two, they will come

down this road, try to get through over little britches. — —— we will

be looking at chaos. It is bad enough now. So back to the roads.

Even without the toll, how did the government's alternative fare? I

guess that was an extra eight miles, taking an extra half an hour, the

government's alternative route if you do not want to use the toll

road. Philip Gomm is from the RAC

Foundation. I asked him what impact he thought an A14 toll would have on

other routes. It is a real consideration and potentially a real

problem. A lot will depend on pricing. If people think the prices

are kept very low, people might be prepared to pay the £1 for what had

better be a much better journey. That is not the situation we found

on the M6 toll road when unregulated charges mean drivers pay more than

£5 per journey and we have seen a lot of existing traffic staying on

the old M6 and deciding to take their chances with congestion. The

highways agency would say that because of the jams on the A14 there

are already diverse as people try to find ways around a serious

bottleneck. I remember when the toll was first mooted and this was called

a tax on Suffolk. And a lot of viewers again are saying they have

already paid for this through their road tax, why pay again? Good point.

Drivers contribute billions in fuel duty, before adding VAT, so drivers

pay through the nose to use the roads. The irony is this A14 scheme

has been around for years. Back in 2010, this government cancelled

that, now we are going through it all again. They could have taken

that taxation money and build the road when it was first mooted. This

will be the first ball of its type in the country, but is this the

future of road—building? Do you think old roads will have tolls in

the future? The government say they are prepared to consider tolls for

so—called new capacity. The RAC foundation sees a long—term case for

some kind of national road charging, instead of fuel duty, but what we do

not see any argument for is this piecemeal approach, essentially

creating a postcode lottery. If you use the A14 in East Anglia, with

existing taxation, you pay road tolls, something people will clearly

be upset about. Thank you. The former commander of British

forces in Afghanistan has told Look East the government is creating a

part—time army as it cuts the number of regular soldiers. The MOD wants

to recruit 11,000 more reservists and has pledged to invest almost £2

billion training and equipping them. Our defence reporter Alex Dunlop has

just returned from Croatia, where reservists from the Royal Anglians

were on exercise. As the dawn mist rises, a platoon

commander urges his men to focus. Pass it down, guys. Part—time

soldiers from across the Eastern region on exercise near the Serbian

border. The enemy, marked with orange tape, won't give up without a

fight. 50 metres! Pass, pass, pass! Doug Farthing, a paratrooper for 23

years before he became a reservist, has done it all before. This his day

job now, a professional artist. We do see ourselves being used, as much

as already used both in Afghanistan and Iraq. We will be integrating

with regular battalions more. And deploying not only on operations,

but on overseas exercises as well in the future. The student hopes this

will give him an edge, before joining the Army Air Corps. I need

something that puts me about the rest. Just the life experience I get

from this will hopefully put me above everyone else applying. A

soldier to be and are now professional welcomed into the

ranks. The vast bulk of the 11,000 reservists the army needs by 2020

will be civilians. And so far, not enough people are signing up. The

government is investing £1.8 billion into reserves like these. That

includes centres for lawyers. But critics say that is a cynical move

by making full—time soldiers redundant and effectively hollowing

out the army. —— centres for employers. This ex—colonel turned

analyst says replacing with reservists is short—sighted. We have

seen a crisis in reservists before the government decided to do that.

What will that do to the Army? What is behind this is a false edifice.

We are increasingly moved towards a part—time army, and civilian army.

And an army made up in that way cannot function in the way the

British Army has functioned since time immemorial as one of the most

respected and professional Armed Forces in the world. A more flexible

or more constrained Army? Either way, reservists will have a key role

on and behind the front line. This afternoon, I spoke to the

Defence Minister and Essex MP Mark Francois, who was a reservist with

the Royal Anglians himself. I put it to him that Colonel Kemp believes we

could end up with a part—time army. I do not accept that, because

reserves will get high—quality training, equipment on a par with

the regulars and we will peer reserve units with regular units.

You have been looking at Royal Anglian reserve in creation who have

been exercising with the 2nd Battalion of the regulars. There is

a good example of what we will be doing across the Army of hearing

reserve units with regular units, working more closely together, and

more capable combine. But we will not be able to carry out the role

the British Army has traditionally carried out so many reservists? I do

not accept that. Territorial Army units in the Second World War have a

proud history. Supporters one thing, but more than one in three soldiers

will be reservists, a high number and people high up in the Army

concerned about it. There is a high your ratio than that in other

armies. Isn't this just about saving money? No, we are be balancing the

Army, and the Ministry of Defence has had financial challenges, this

is to expand the reserve part of the Army and integrate them more closely

with regulars. But not going into the hottest of hot spots, doing

back—up work? I do not accept that, we have had some reservists in

Afghanistan, in some hotspots, and unfortunately some killed serving

their country, just like regulars. Reservists at the sure pound ——

sharp end for a number of years. So we do not need a regular army? No, a

combination of both. We have always had regulars and reservists. In both

the second and First World War, Iraq, Afghanistan, both regulars and

reservists have formed well, that has been our tradition for a century

and we continue it with this reform, and strengthen it. Thank

you. Thousands of acres of peatland are

to be restored as part of an ambitious project which could last

into the next century. The Great Fen Project in Cambridgeshire is part of

a national campaign to bring back our wetlands. There is a huge amount

of carbon dioxide in peat. So it's important for all of us to save it.

Ghostly and silent. Beautiful in its flatness. And underfoot black gold,

the precious peat soil. But this rich organic darkness, the living

breathing soul of the Fens, is dying. Intensive drainage projects

followed by years of arable cultivation has literally sucked the

life out of the landscape. Back in 1850, this was completely drained

and the people behind that controversial drainage project put

in this metal pole to show the impact of drainage on peat soil. And

ground level was at the very top. Research shows two centimetres of

parched peat is lost every year. Known as a Fen Blow, the black dust

clouds fill the skies. But the environmental impact potentially

devastating. Peatland is a very valuable means of locking carbon

dioxide into the soil. When peatland dries out, when peat dries out, it

releases carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas. But by re—wetting

peatland, we can lock some of that carbon dioxide. From Trundlemere

Hide, you can see this vast landscape changing. Islands rise up

from the earth. Newly dug waterways rehydrate the soil. Pools and ponds

are filling up. It will be one of the most important reedbeds. About

30 hectares. Within five to ten years, this whole landscape will be

entirely transformed as far as the eye can see, all the way to the

horizon there. And we will get wetland species moving in. It will

take a long time to lick the wounds inflicted on this damaged land. Up

to a 100 years before it is truly healed.

It looked autumnal. Now for the weather. Low pressure and whether

fronts is the theme this week. This front has been responsible for

a lot of cloud. It has made things quite gloomy.

Expect light and patchy rain, some drizzle here and there, but petering

out. By the end of the night, we should be largely drive. A lot of

cloud of around. —— we should be largely dry.

Quite a bit of cloud around first thing, then something brighter, some

sunshine perhaps breaking through the cloud. Much warmer air tomorrow,

so temperatures climbing. Like south—westerly wind. 18, 19, perhaps

20 degrees in places, then increasing cloud later tomorrow, and

the next month, more potent, with more rain. The rain chatting

eastwards overnight into early Friday morning, and more persistent

and heavy. Some uncertainty for Saturday. Low pressure from the

South. Will that mean rain? Maybe it does. But stay tuned, because that

is some uncertainty. Overnight rain for Thursday, clearing first thing

Friday morning, then not a bad day, quite a lot of cloud, but largely

dry for the bulk of the day, the chance of rain on Saturday. Not bad

on Sunday, chilly overnight. That is it.

From all of us here, thank you for your company this evening. We will

see you tomorrow night.