That was the week...

Hitting the buffers - The Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, made his second visit in a week to Buckinghamshire to try and calm local Tory fears about his plans to route the high speed London to Birmingham trains across the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but he only succeeded in making them more annoyed. His expected statement about the route has now been put back until later in year while Mr Hammond and his officials try to find agreement on mitigation measures that will be acceptable. He’s not doing well. Top local Tory Val Letheran said:”He effectively said it was tough luck we were between London and Birmingham.”

Business boost – Further indications that the local economy is doing OK. Heathrow one of the area’s biggest employers, reported that it had its busiest August ever, entirely due to a rise in business passengers, the vast majority of whom came from the Thames Valley, Buckinghamshire and west London. It handled 6.5m passengers in August and in addition had its busiest day ever on 18 July when 232,000 passengers passed through the airport. Figures for September were also well up on previous years. Meanwhile, commercial estate agents Savills said that the take up on office accommodation on the western corridor of the M25 was expected to double this year.

Ronnie remembered – A statue to comic legend Ronnie Barker was unveiled outside Aylesbury’s soon to be opened Waterside Theatre by his widow Joy. He’s depicted as Fletch from one of his series, Porridge, in the statue sculptured by Martin Jennings, who designed the Sir John Betjeman statue in St Pancras Station. The actor, who died five years ago, began his acting career in Aylesbury and kept close links with the town. The ceremony was attended by a host of friends, including Ronnie Corbett and Sir David Jason.

Struck off – A doctor who falsely claimed he could cure multiple sclerosis patients with miracle injections was struck off the medical register. Robert Trossel, aged 56, from Stoke Poges charged patients £12,000 at his private clinic for injections containing cow stem cells, knowing there was no evidence the injections would do any good.

Police reductions – Sara Thornton, the chief constable of Thames Valley Police, said the force had put a freeze on recruiting new officers and was cutting back on backroom staff in anticipation of major reductions in their budget.

World shooting champs – Stoke Mandeville began its countdown to hosting many paralympics events when it hosted the World Paralympic Shooting Championship. Seventy shooters from 15 nations were able to sample the facilities that await hundreds of disabled athletes will enjoy in 2012.