DOES anyone else feel that as time goes by it seems to accelerate? Years used to crawl by and now they fly at warp speed. The past year has certainly been a whirlwind of activity at work and at home and I am ready for a peaceful Christmas holiday in the Pewsey Vale.

Looking back on 2015 throws up lots of feelings. There was the elation of winning my seat again with a greatly increased majority; the excitement of helping to form a majority Conservative government for the first time in 18 years; the challenges and frustrations of driving forward improvements for rail customers as part of my ministerial portfolio: the satisfaction of helping secure a 50 per cent increase in government funding for transport infrastructure in this Parliament meaning that the Great Western rail electrification and A303 dualling can go ahead.

The sadness of witnessing tragedies like the Syrian refugee crisis and the Paris terrorist atrocities and the solemnity of debating and voting for renewed British military commitment in the tinder box that is the Middle East – never an easy choice in a constituency that is home to so many Armed Forces personnel and their families and so many retired service members.

On a personal note, two children changed schools as one went 300 miles away to university, my partner and I foolishly agreed to get builders in right after the election and Zinzan the aged yellow labrador staggered through his 14th year thanks to strong steroids and a diet of sausage rolls stolen from the decorators.

Professional high points, as always, were the local ones. We managed to finally get funding and a plan in place for the Devizes Urgent Care centre for which I have been campaigning since 2010; Pewsey station will shortly have a new passenger footbridge and a new fleet of hybrid (diesel and electric) trains serving local passengers and we are working on a plan for Bedwyn to ensure that there is no break of service.

The long standing campaigns for rate reform and fairer school funding came to fruition and the rollout of super fast broadband that is so desperately needed gathered pace across Wiltshire.

After a short festive break I will be back at full throttle but may I end this year by wishing everyone a joyous Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

With an EU referendum possible next year, London mayoral elections and many council seats up for grabs, it is going to be a politically interesting 2016.