PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP TUESDAY 4th AUGUST 2026 Alistair Strathern, MP for Hitchin, has welcomed a major government announcement that will allow thousands more young people to benefit from discounted rail travel, following representations he made to the Department for Transport calling for the change. The Government has confirmed that from 17 August 2026, 16-17 Saver Railcards will remain valid for a full year from the date of purchase, rather than expiri

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP WEDNESDAY 29th JULY 2026 Alistair Strathern MP has welcomed the withdrawal of plans that would have paved the way for weekend parking charges at Arlesey Station's Henlow-side car park, describing it as a significant victory for local residents. The application sought to remove a long-standing Section 106 planning obligation that guarantees free weekend parking at the car park. Following strong opposition from local residents, rail

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP MONDAY 27th JULY 2026 Alistair Strathern, MP for the Hitchin constituency, visited BuzzWorks in Hitchin this week to meet their hardworking volunteers, learn more about their educational work, and highlight the role the charity plays in helping local communities discover the vital world of bees. BuzzWorks is a volunteer-run association offering hands-on learning at its Bee Discovery Centre on Old Hale Way, where families, schools, an

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP THURSDAY 16th JULY 2026 Alistair Strathern, MP for the Hitchin constituency, has come out firmly against a move that would remove free weekend parking at Arlesey Station's Henlow-side car park. After being built, as a section 106 benefit of new housing, the car park was to be free on weekends. It was a key transport improvement won from accepting new housing. Despite this commitment being in place from the outset from Central Bedfo

Two years ago this week, back at the 2024 general election, I started the best job anyone could wish for. Representing the towns and villages across our community in Parliament. It may not be the easiest time to be in politics, but there is no job like it. From coffee mornings and pub discussion evenings to conversations out on the doorstep or walking through Market Square, it's impossible not to be energised by all of your commitment to helping to improve our community and

Three Hertfordshire Members of Parliament Andrew Lewin (Welwyn Hatfield), Alistair Strathern (Hitchin), and Kevin Bonavia (Stevenage) have issued a joint letter to Cllr Steve Jarvis, Leader of Hertfordshire County Council, expressing their collective opposition to the proposal to close the Hertfordshire Performing Arts Library (HPAL) in Welwyn Garden City. The letter follows a request for a review sent by Andrew Lewin MP on 5th May 2026, to which Cllr Jarvis replied that no d

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP THURSDAY 25th JUNE 2026 Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised Dan Gaze, a local Hitchin youth worker, in Parliament yesterday following a Gareth Southgate documentary in which Gaze featured. Starmer was responding to a question from Hitchin MP, Alistair Strathern. Strathern praised Southgate’s documentary, Dan, and the young men from Hitchin Boys School interviewed as part of the documentary. Strathern asked the Prime Minister how we

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP THURSDAY 18th JUNE 2026 Alistair Strathern MP proposes new law to make Relationships and Sex Education mandatory up to 18 to prevent violence against women and girls Alistair Strathern, MP for the Hitchin constituency, yesterday presented a Private Member’s Bill that would make Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) a mandatory requirement for all young people up to the age of 18, ending a postcode lottery of provision for teenagers

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP TUESDAY 16th JUNE 2026 Alistair Strathern, MP for the Hitchin constituency, is celebrating securing funding for a new Youth Hub in Central Bedfordshire, delivering a major boost to opportunities for young people across the area. The funding, confirmed as part of the Government’s latest rollout of Youth Hubs, will see Central Bedfordshire Council receive support to work in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP WEDNESDAY 3rd JUNE 2026 Alistair Strathern, MP for the Hitchin constituency, is calling for Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) and Stevenage Borough Council to work in partnership with the Lister Hospital to bring forward solutions to ongoing parking pressures affecting both patients and staff at the site. He has launched a petition to generate momentum behind his campaign, with over 400 signatures already less than 48 hours after l

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP MONDAY 1st JUNE 2026 Alistair Strathern, the MP for Hitchin, has called on Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) to urgently act to make the B656 at Little Almshoe safer. The small hamlet sits at a crossroads at the B656, between Luton and Hitchin. It has seen numerous serious accidents recently, with local residents highlighting 8 dangerous accidents already this year. Strathern has received serious concerns from constituents about

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP WEDNESDAY 27th MAY 2026 Alistair Strathern, Member of Parliament for Hitchin, has called on the Education Secretary to listen directly to local families as the Government moves forward with major reforms to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision. Over the past year, the Hitchin MP has held a series of consultation workshops with parents, carers, and education professionals across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, g

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP TUESDAY 26th MAY 2026 Concerns are growing across local communities following Stagecoach’s announcement of significant timetable changes to the Number 9 bus service between Stevenage, Hitchin and Bedford, due to take effect at the end of May. The changes will see a reduction in service frequency, with these Number 9 buses serving places like Holwell, Arlesey and Shefford running once every two hours rather than one per hour. Hitch

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP WEDNESDAY 20th MAY Alistair Strathern, MP for the Hitchin constituency, has welcomed the publishing of a Health Impact Assessment into the of Hitchin’s Industrial Centre. The Assessment was instigated following calls by Strathern and Hertfordshire County Councillor Ian Albert for more coordinated and robust action following a number of fires at recycling centres on the industrial estate. Issued jointly by Hertfordshire County Counc

PRESS RELEASE Alistair Strathern MP, Member of Parliament for Hitchin, enjoyed an early morning walk on Saturday with local men’s, men's walks walking groups and local mental health champions. The walk in Henlow was the second men’s health ‘walk and talk’ event Mr Strathern has organised this year to highlight the need for action on men’s mental health and provide an informal space for men locally to get out and chat with others locally. With the life expectancy between m

Alistair Strathern MP, Member of Parliament for Hitchin, welcomed news that the Langford Branch of Safron Health Partnership will be expanding GP appointments by 80% from June this year. Mr Strathern has been working closely with the local NHS leadership, Saffron Health, and local patients to push for expansion at the Langford practice since last year, after the growth of the village placed significant pressures on appointments at the partnership’s Langford branch. Afte

A brand‑new, state‑of‑the‑art Audiology Hub has officially been opened at Lister Hospital, marking a major step forward in improving hearing services for patients across the area. The facility, backed by over £1 million of Government investment, will significantly expand local capacity and bring world‑class audiology technology to the Lister. Alistair Strathern, Member of Parliament for Hitchin, attended the opening and welcomed the transformation the new hub represents. He s

Alistair Strathern, MP for Hitchin, has met with local horse riders at The Holt Farm to hear first‑hand their concerns about dangerous driving, speeding and a lack of appropriate safety measures on rural roads across the area. Several riders shared their experiences of near‑misses and collisions involving fast‑moving vehicles, highlighting the urgent need for greater awareness and respect for the Highway Code. During the meeting, riders described a range of hazards the

PRESS RELEASE 30TH APRIL 2026 Alistair Strathern MP and residents of Great Wymondley and Little Wymondley have come together to raise urgent concerns about the growing volume of heavy‑vehicle traffic passing through their narrow village roads, presenting what they describe as an “untenable” and increasingly dangerous situation for families, school children and the wider community. At a community meeting this week, residents shared a petition of nearly 100 signatures with the

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP WEDNESDAY 22nd APRIL 2026 Hitchin rail users will benefit from an extra PM peak service from London King’s Cross. From May 17th, the Great Northern 18:54 service from London King’s Cross to Cambridge will also call at Hitchin, providing extra capacity and a faster evening travel option for Hitchin commuters. The change is intended to better support passengers travelling home during the busy evening peak period, responding to demand