Shropshire MPs' column: Read the latest from the county's representatives in Westminster
Read the latest column from the MP for Telford, Shaun Davies.
I have started the new year as I mean to go on: by listening to you. Again and again, residents tell me what isn’t working locally and what needs to improve, and I take that responsibility seriously.
The year began with a surge of concerns about our local postal services. Some residents told me they had not received post since before Christmas, including important letters about medical appointment. And local posties have told me privately they are being ordered not to deliver post but instead parcels. That simply isn’t acceptable. I raised the issue in parliament, with the Minister, directly with Royal Mail and also wrote to Ofcom. While some of you have told me there have been some minor improvements serious problems remain and early this week I am due to meet the Royal Mail in person for an update. Please do contact me to share your experience.
Another issue I hear about constantly is poor mobile signal and patchy or no 4G and 5G coverage. I have met with BT, secured meetings with other mobile providers you’ve raised concerns about, written to Ofcom, and met directly with the minister responsible. I have also led a debate in Parliament challenging the poor phone coverage affecting Telford. I used your experiences and feedback to make our case loud and clear: we need better mobile connectivity, and I will keep pushing until we get it. The survey is still open, so if poor signal or 5G coverage affects you, please do get in touch.
Yesterday marked a major step forward for Telford’s rail services, as West Midlands Trains and London Northwestern returned to public ownership, putting passengers, not shareholders, first. While this is not a silver bullet, it is a vital step towards a more reliable and affordable rail network under Great British Railways. Improving train services is a top priority for me as MP for Telford, and I am working closely with Transport for the West Midlands to secure long-term improvements and the investment our town deserves, including a direct Telford–London service and faster, more reliable connections across the region too.
Over the past week, you may have seen that I have renewed my call on the Government to close Madeley Court Hotel and return it to community use. The hotel continues to house asylum seekers, and residents have rightly raised their concerns. I have met with the Prime Minister and Home Office Ministers to call for its closure, its handover back to the community, and a firm guarantee that Telford will not be used again for Home Office hotel accommodation. While this Government is beginning to rebuild communities and deliver long-overdue investment, the continued use of Madeley Court undermines that aim. Hotels are not the right place for asylum accommodation, and this failed policy by the last Government has caused real disruption locally. Enough is enough.
We have also been the important news on NHS waiting lists across England. Progress is being made but here in Telford, there is still a mountain to climb, and we must climb it. Residents regularly raise ongoing NHS challenges with me and I could not agree more we all deserve better access to care. Locally, waiting lists are down by nearly 14,000 since July 2024, and our hospitals are now the most improved trust in the country for reducing planned care waits, securing £2 million in additional investment. That progress is thanks to record investment, NHS modernisation, and above all the dedication of NHS staff, something I see first-hand whenever I visit our local services. GP access, however, remains a postcode lottery in Telford, and that must improve. There is still much more to do.
Listening, acting, and delivering for Telford that’s how I intend to continue in 2026 and beyond.
To keep in touch or find out where to meet me in person this year please check out my website shaundavies.org.
