Mike Penning MP is concerned at the poor image visitors to Hemel Hempstead receive as they drive off of the M1. He has written this open letter to the Chief Executive of St Albans District Council.

Dear Chief Executive,

You live in a beautiful City and I am sure that you are very proud of it. Here in Hemel Hempstead we are proud of our town too. A large number of people travel to our town many of whom get their first glimpse of us as they leave the motorway at junction eight and drive into our ‘New Town’. As they leave the M1 and drive off of the slip road towards the Breakspear Roundabout, their first impression is totally blighted by the sight of overgrown, weed ridden verges and roadsides liberally scattered with assorted rubbish and litter. It looks disgusting.

So what has this to do with St Albans Council, you wonder? Well through a bureaucratic quirk the stretch of roadside from the M1 to the Breakspear Roundabout in Hemel Hempstead is in fact part of St Albans District and is the responsibility of St Albans Council and not Dacorum. On behalf of the residents of Hemel Hempstead I would like to ask you to be a good neighbour and clear up this mess for us and look after it in the future.

Yours faithfully

Mike Penning MP