Rival MPs Bob Richards and Neville Tyrrell might be from different sides of the political fence — but they do have some things in common.The 64-year-olds attended the Central School (now Victor Scott Primary School) together and live close to each other in the same Warwick neighbourhood.However, Mr Tyrrell, of the Progressive Labour Party, said they “don’t mix in the same circles”. Mr Richards, of the One Bermuda Alliance, said their relationship is “more distant than it used to be” when they were at school.Both followed a path into business and public service, and are standing on their individual records as they go head to head on December 17 in the key marginal seat of Devonshire East, Constituency 11.They’ve been pounding the pavements to find out what matters most to their constituents who told The Royal Gazette they are proud of their neighbourhood, but their concerns are traffic, community services and the economy.Beldwin Smith, 73, certainly knows the Island’s roads well. He’s a taxi driver and has run more than 40 half-marathons and 13 marathons.He’s also lived in Constituency 11 for 45 years, having built his own home at Devon Heights.“There’s some concern trying to exit Devon Heights with the traffic at the (Collector’s Hill) traffic light. With building the condos at Cloverdale there’s more vehicles on the road,” he noted.Although frustrated with the traffic delays, Mr Smith said the lights have been “a tremendous improvement in terms of safety” at the junction, which was an accident black spot.Mr Smith said of the constituency: “It’s a quiet neighbourhood. I know most of my neighbours by their first names. We get along all right — it’s a mixed neighbourhood as well, with black and white.”He has a son and daughter, four granddaughters and three great granddaughters, and said the area is “quite conducive to raising children” and that people “feel safe in their homes”.Mr Smith describes himself as “strictly PLP” and says he will vote for Mr Tyrrell.“I believe Mr Tyrrell is a listener and a concerned person,” he said.Sousa Estate resident Jacqueleine Pratt, 72, is backing Mr Richards, as she wants the One Bermuda Alliance to win national power.“I’m hoping and praying that the OBE gets in because myself and everyone I speak to, both black and white, are saying we need a change.“We are very fearful of the PLP getting back in because none of us have seen Bermuda in such a terrible state as it is now, with the infrastructure, the roads and the crime,” she said.Mrs Pratt finds Mr Richards to be “a man of high integrity” and believes he will tackle “the thing which is on everybody’s minds right now, which is the national debt”.She would also like to see more of a focus on road safety and crime prevention.“They really need to bring back the parish constables,” she said. “Something else the OBA should push for if they get in is to bring back the police cycle squad. They were excellent. They were all over the Island stopping people speeding and going through red lights.”Caswell Boyles, 76, said he will be backing Mr Tyrrell and likes his plan for a new community centre for the area. Mr Tyrrell and Mr Richards both favour turning a redundant recycling facility off Hermitage Road into such a centre for young people and the elderly to meet.“I follow Wolves football club and we don’t have a club to have meetings. We have to use the school when it’s open,” explained Mr Boyles. “If we could set up there [at the old recycling centre] we could work on it ourselves.”Gregory Dietz, 52, has been living in the area for more than 40 years. He plans to vote for Mr Richards.His biggest concern is a long-overdue project to reinforce a wall so that Devon Springs can be reopened at the junction with South Road.Government recently announced that the project will get underway after nine years of delays.Both Mr Richards and Mr Tyrrell say they have been pushing for action and are committed to getting the project finished if they are elected.Mr Dietz said he is grateful to Mr Richards for his hard work pushing on the issue as the repairs are “long overdue”.He added: “When the road gets reopened we could use a few speed bumps and a sign saying ‘no through road’.”Mr Richards said he’s heard various concerns raised as he’s canvassed the area.He’s been in talks with a local church that owns a derelict house on Devon Springs Road which is “acting as a haven for nefarious activities”.He said he will continue to press for the house to be knocked down.He is also concerned about speeding along Devon Springs Road and agrees with Mr Dietz that speed bumps are needed.“We don’t want it to be used as a racetrack,” he noted.Mr Richards said he is proud to have forged good links with Elliott Primary School and worked to get CCTV cameras installed outside the school on Hermitage Road.He has also spoken to Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute managers about psychiatric patients wandering the area and causing “some concern to residents”.He admitted: “It was not a satisfactory conversation” however, and “it’s not an issue easily resolved”.As Shadow Minister of Finance, Mr Richards said his party’s job creation plan would address constituency and national concerns over the economy.He believes his career working in finance and banking means he is in a good position to “make a difference” as his skills are “greatly needed” today.The constituency was won decisively by Michael Dunkley of the United Bermuda Party in 2003. He beat Mr Tyrrell by 214 votes.However, when Mr Richards was brought in to fight the seat in 2007, he beat Mr Tyrrell by just 27 votes.Boundary changes since the last election have landed the district 64 voters from Smith’s West and another 22 from Devonshire South Central — both Opposition strongholds.Asked how he rates his chances this time around, Mr Richards replied: “Three major things have happened since the last election. People in Constituency 11 now know me.“They didn’t know me before, because I was kind of parachuted in here, but now I have been in the constituency for five years doing things. That’s a huge difference.“There have been some boundary changes, which I think will benefit me, and the constituency is part of Bermuda, and Bermuda doesn’t like where it is.”Mr Tyrrell admitted: “It’s painful to talk about the last election.”He added: “The boundary does not appear to have changed to my advantage but I do believe I have the support to be successful. I have worked hard pounding the pavement for the last 15 or 16 months religiously.”He has got to know the area well, and explained: “Devonshire East is made up of several little neighbourhoods such as Green Acres, Sousa Estates, Poinciana Road, Cloverdale Road and Devon Springs just to name some of them.“Each consists of a high percentage of middle class and blue collar homeowners, who take lots of pride in their immediate areas. Whilst canvassing them, most express satisfaction with their everyday lives.“Those living in the immediate vicinity of Devon Springs Road have been most unhappy with the lengthy closure of that road leading down to South Shore Road.“Based on the Government’s recent announcement for repairing the road, I have received many complimentary comments from those who knew of my pushing Government from behind the scenes to get this road fully functional again.“I feel very proud to have been able to serve the residents on this issue and several other requests prior to becoming their representative.“I see my constant prodding on this matter as being typical of the type of representation I expect to give to all of the constituents when called upon to serve them with their various issues.”Mr Tyrrell added: “A lot of the entrance roads on to the main roads need mirrors, with traffic being what it is. There are a few areas I have in mind as people have already spoken to me about it.”Overall, Mr Tyrrell said: “My motivation for standing as a candidate is based on my history of working within the wider community.“Also having been given much in life increases my wanting to give back and to ensure I leave a better Bermuda for my grandchildren.”He is keen for people to come out and vote even if they choose not to support him.“I have had young people telling me they are so disenchanted they are not considering voting, and among the elderly as well.“I’m telling them it’s their right and their way of having their voice and they should come out and vote — even if they are not going to vote for me.”