Tag: John Bridge

Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two

17:42 Wednesday 17th April 2013
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[P]ETER SWANN: We spoke to John Bridge of Cambridgeshire’s Chamber of Commerce. He’s called for the Leader of Cambridge City Council to support plans for a widened A14, regardless of his political views. Mr Bridge says all local authorities must set aside politics to form a united front in order to convince the Government to improve that stretch of the road between Cambridge and Huntingdon. (TAPE)
JOHN BRIDGE: There’s little doubt that the A14 upgrade is the top of every business’s priorities, because they know and understand the detriment it can have on our economy, and clearly the real benefit we would derive from seeing the current problems dealt with, which is why we find it very difficult to understand that one of our local councils feels unable to support what we feel is absolutely necessary, and to my mind, has the full support of businesses and the majority of people, who desperately know and understand why it needs to be done. (LIVE)
PETER SWANN: It should just be mentioned that it was announced last week that work to widen a short stretch of the A14 between Histon and Girton will begin in 2014. But we’re talking about the larger project here. Councillor Tim Bick is the Leader at Cambridge City Council. He joins us on the show now. Evening Tim.
TIM BICK: Good evening Peter.
PETER SWANN: So first of all, just underline your position. You’ve heard what John Bridge has had to say. Are you against then any kind of redevelopment for the A14? Continue reading “Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two”

Peterborough Performing Well Despite Record Jobless Totals

07:20 Thursday 21st March 2013
Bigger Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

[P]AUL STAINTON: Unemployment has reached a record high in Peterborough, 5.6%, well above the national average. That’s according to the latest figure from the Office of National Statistics, which show that nearly 400 more people were receiving JobSeekers’ Allowance in February than in January. Meanwhile in Cambridgeshire only 2.2% of the workforce are receiving the benefit. Well let’s speak to John Bridge, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce. Morning John.
JOHN BRIDGE: Yes good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: This is very high, isn’t it?
JOHN BRIDGE: It is, and it is always disappointing when we see the level of JobSeeker Allowance people going up.
PAUL STAINTON: Why so much higher in Peterborough than elsewhere across Cambridgeshire? Continue reading “Peterborough Performing Well Despite Record Jobless Totals”

This Latest Outrage

17:20 Wednesday 5th December 2012
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: I know that you’re putting money into science. That’s a big thing around here. People will be very pleased with that. But at the same time you’ve announced four major road schemes today, but improvements to the A14 are not on that.
SAJID JAVID: There were some improvements to roads up and down the country announced today. I’m sure there are probably some other examples up and down the country where people would like to hear news on their local roads. But that doesn’t mean to say it’s not happening. The important thing is that Government has also announced today that by cutting departmental budgets, and some other savings, it’s putting aside £5 billion extra of capital investment by the public sector in roads and other infrastructure up and down the country.
CHRIS MANN: Well we must be at the back of the queue.

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17:40 Wednesday 5th December 2012
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

JOHN BRIDGE: It was very disappointing that when he talked about the additional considerable investment on infrastructure, the A14 wasn’t mentioned at all. And the Minister on your programme didn’t seem to know or understand the importance of the A14, particularly to the economy. And we are told by Government that it’s actually at the top of their priority list for dealing with. Yet I think this shows us that it’s anywhere but at the top of the list. So a real frustration. They tell us that they’re trying to bring the implementation of the upgrade forward, but in order to do that, we need some commitment and know that the funding is going to be available. And regretfully we haven’t got that today.

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Local Chamber Pledges Council Support For Inward Investors

CHRIS MANN: The good news of 400 new jobs being created at Babraham Institute where the Government has put in £44 million to the research campus, and we have to contrast that with the bad news, particularly in Peterborough, where 1,500 temporary winter contracts have come to an end, and people there are seeking new work. Let’s put it in perspective now. The Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce John Bridge joins me live. John, good evening to you.
JOHN BRIDGE: Yes. Good evening Chris.
CHRIS MANN: Quite sharp, isn’t it, the contrast between the top end where skilled workers are very much wanted in this county, and the bottom end where others, well, their work comes and goes? Continue reading “Local Chamber Pledges Council Support For Inward Investors”

Cambridge Travel Debate

17:47 Wednesday 7th September 2011
Drive BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY HARPER: Let’s just talk about an issue that was raised this morning on our Cambridgeshire Breakfast Show. It was all about how people get to work across Cambridgeshire, and the debate over the Guided Bus. Because the Guided Bus is now a month into full service. After Cambridgeshire Breakfast, Andy Harper was joined in the studio by a panel of local people with a knowledge of Cambridgeshire’s transport issues, to discuss what needs to be done now, and in the future, so the county can cope with further growth on our roads, and avoid gridlock. Mark Rix, who runs a cleaning company and has to drive around Cambridge every day, feels the Guided Bus has made a bit of a difference, but wants more to be done to ease congestion. (TAPE) Continue reading “Cambridge Travel Debate”

John Bridge and the Freudian Slip

08:13 Wednesday 18th May 2011
Peterborough Breakfast Show
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: It’s a good morning for Peterborough, John. Your reaction to the fact the Olympic torch is coming to the city?
JOHN BRIDGE: Oh absolutely delighted Paul. It really is a good positive thing, and will create lots of excitement, and, you know, looking forward to the beginning of July next year with the Olympics towards the end., it really will help all the people of Peterborough to be able to actually engage in the run-up to the election, and actually create the kind of atmosphere that we all want to be a part of, and the excitement that will inevitably come with the Olympics being in England.

Take a look at John’s credentials in the Cambs Chamber.

John Bridge on the A14

10:40 Wednesday 2nd February 2011
Andy Harper Show BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY HARPER: Well, it is chaos on Cambridgeshire’s roads again this morning, because of this accident on the A14. And it has a massive knock-on on the lives of people across the county. When the upgrade of the road was abandoned by the Government, it was proposed to improve it using private investment, possibly even a toll road. In November, John Bridge from Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce, who was working on it, gave the chances of success as 50%. I wonder what they are now. John, good morning to you.
JOHN BRIDGE: Yes, good morning Andy.
ANDY HARPER: We often seem to speak to you John, when there’s chaos on the A14, which is of course far too often. And once again, people are saying look, something has got to be done. We know the Government aren’t going to spend any money on it, so what are our alternatives? Continue reading “John Bridge on the A14”

John Bridge on the Co-op Depot Closure

17:40 Monday 10th January 2011 Drivetime BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

ANDY BURROWS: Let’s return to our top story this afternoon, and it’s the grim news that 230 jobs at the Co-op distribution centre in Peterborough are under threat. The company in Ivatt Way Westwood says efforts will be made to redeploy staff. The company has sites in Huntingdon, Godmanchester, and plans for a new base in Hampshire. But the firm has said it is likely there will be redundancies. John Bridge is from the Peterborough and Camnbridgeshire Chambers of Commerce. Evening to you John.
JOHN BRIDGE: Yes, good evening Andy.
ANDY BURROWS: Well as I was saying to the Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson earlier on in the programme, this is not good news is it? It’s not what we want to hear.
Continue reading “John Bridge on the Co-op Depot Closure”