RE-ELECTED Lancaster MP Hilton Dawson has quit the pro Western Bypass pressure group -- leaving fellow MP Geraldine Smith 'shocked and stunned'.

Mr Dawson has pledged instead to act as an 'honest broker' in discussions on ways of improving Lancaster's traffic situation.

He has already met with newly elected Green county councillor Jonathan Sear and also plans talks with businesses, local authorities and regional officials in the run up to a major public meeting at Lancaster Town Hall in September.

However, Miss Smith says she believes Mr Dawson's decision will come as a major blow to the campaign for the bypass.

She reminded Mr Dawson that the Western Bypass remains part of local Labour Party policy.

He said: "If we can come up with a realistic plan to improve traffic without the western bypass there would be no-one more pleased than me.

"I want major improvements to the traffic system in Lancaster, much better public transport, a reduction in the volume of cars coming in to the city centre, safer residential streets, an end to car parking in splendid open spaces such as Dalton Square and a cleaner environment that will be good for people living here and for business.

"We simply must make real progress on Lancaster's traffic problems and I hope that it will help us achieve more of a consensus to take the city forward."

Miss Smith replied: "There are people in both Morecambe and Lancaster who are against the bypass, but there is also overwhelming support for it.

"There are many people living in Lancaster who will have voted for Hilton at the recent election in the belief that he is a supporter of the bypass.

"Last week I was getting calls to my constituency office asking what on earth Hilton was doing.

"To be honest, Hilton didn't even have the decency to tell me in advance what he was doing."