Road Block e-bulletin * 25th February 2005

The website has recently been updated and now has a list of road schemes and a useful list of campaign resources. If you have a website, please link to the Road Block website so that our site has a higher profile and can be found on more search engines.

CONTENTS

(1) Road Block national networking conference
(2) Campaign updates: A327 Brookers Hill / Cutbush Lane (Berkshire), Kingskerswell Bypass (Devon), Lancaster Northern Bypass, Stoke Hammond - Linslade Bypass (Bucks/Beds)
(3) Climate Action - Demo at Derby 17/18 March and G8 Climate Counter Conference 14 March
(4) Transport news – traffic rise figures, Local Transport Plans (LTPs),
(5) Roads to Ruin research

(1) ROAD BLOCK NATIONAL NETWORKING CONFERENCE

Birmingham, Saturday 4th June (suggested donation £10 per attendee)

The Road Block national networking conference is a unique opportunity to meet with people from around the country who are opposing road schemes, learn from each other, and share strategies for defeating road schemes. The conference is for those actively fighting roads, and priority will be given to those in local groups.

Numbers are limited so please book in advance if you would like to come. Contact Road Block (details at end of bulletin) for a booking form and more information.

Another group may be organising a direct action gathering on roads and airport expansion on 7th-8th May. Pencil it into your diaries for now.

(2) CAMPAIGN UPDATES

A327 Brookers Hill / Cutbush Lane (Shinfield, Berkshire)

Brave local residents stood in snow to prevent chainsaw operators felling a mature oak tree for a private road scheme in Shinfield near Wokingham on 21st February, with local media taking up the story. Since then the District Council have admitted that no Planning Permission had been granted, and have called off the tree choppers until a public meeting in early March, the first consultation on the scheme. Well done to eagle eyed residents for responding so quickly.

Kingskerswell Bypass, Devon

Both Kingskerswell Parish Council and Newton Abbott Town Council have voted to reject Devon County Council’s Bypass. The plans are due to go before the County Council in March.

Kinsey Valley Link Road (Cornwall)

Despite having no planning permission, Cornwall County Council have started destructive ‘soil investigation’ works along the route, using heavy machinery and trashing rare wet woodland, and water courses.

Lancaster Northern Bypass

The campaign against this road scheme was launched at a public meeting on 17th February with over 80 people turning up.

Stoke Hammond – Linslade Bypass

The terms of an oppressive Injunction against protest have been watered down to allow protest on the rights of way. The Council turned up to evict the treehouses (which had been evacuated the night before after a tip-off) with over 200 police, bailiffs and security. Local residents have not given up, with a vigil on 20th Feb, a demo on 23rd and another planned. The Council is refusing to answer Freedom of Information requests about surveys they have done for bats.

(3) CLIMATE ACTION 14th & 17th – 18th March

There is going to be a G8 Counter Climate Conference called “Moving Beyond the Greenwash” on Monday 14th March in London, as G8 Environment Ministers meet in London. For more info see www.risingtide.org.uk or call 07708 794665 or email g8climate@risingtide.org.uk

When the same G8 Ministers meet up in Derby on 17th – 18th March there will be a demonstration about the UK’s Climate Hypocrisy. Contact East Midlands Friends of the Earth for more info - 0115 950 6926 or calliel@foe.co.uk. Please contact the Road Block office for more info.

(4) TRANSPORT NEWS

Road Traffic Statistics

Department for Transport (DfT) Road Traffic Statistics for 2004 have been released, with (surprise!) more traffic on the roads. See http://www.dft.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2005_0011 and for increases in lorries going to Europe see http://www.dft.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2005_0019

Local Transport Plans

If you aren’t contributing already, all Local Authorities are drafting their Local Transport Plans for the next five years (2006-11). Make sure they aren’t considering sneaking in lots of roads plans.

Plans for London’s North Circular

Transport for London dropped plans for a 40 year old £450m upgrade of A406 North Circular in Enfield, Barnet and Haringey, in favour of a £27m scheme.

A21 route announced

The preferred route of the A21 Flimwell and Robertsbridge in Kent and East Sussex, which will provide ‘improved access’ to Hastings (and create added pressure for the controversial Bexhill-Hastings Link Road) was announced on 17th Feb.

(5) ROADS TO RUIN

We are currently compiling an overview of road schemes around the country, based on the format of the excellent ‘Roads to Ruin’ report produced by Transport 2000, CPRE and Friends of the Earth in 2001. Many thanks to all of you who have sent us details of your schemes for an Update on the Roads to Ruin report. This is incredibly useful so that Road Block can have a national overview. Please can groups who haven’t submitted details of their scheme please email them to us, using the questions in the Roads to Ruin section below. We are particularly interested in schemes that are not formally entered into any formal plans yet, but are still being proposed and worked on.

Your brief answers to the following questions would be greatly appreciated:

What is the name of scheme that you are opposing?
What is its environmental impact (eg, are any nature reserves or SSSI’s under threat)?
What is the likely contribution to greenhouse gas emissions from traffic on the new road?
Are there any alternatives to the scheme?
What is the political picture in the area (eg, could it impact on the local MP’s majority)?
What is the proposed length of the road?
What is the proposed cost of the road?
At what stage is the road?
What is the likelihood of road being built?

Send us your news! Deadline for next e-bulletin is Thursday 10th March.