An alliance against road building

SOUTH BEDFORDSHIRE

PRESS RELEASE - Strict Embargo until 7.30am, Monday 24th January 2005

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY - Local residents and activists demonstrate at bypass site.  Possible start of work.

PROTESTS RESUME TO STOP THE LINSLADE BYPASS AFTER FIRST VICTORY

Work on the controversial Stoke Hammond to Linslade bypass [1] has been temporarily halted due to the pressures of protests. However local protesters fear that clearance work will resume on Monday morning, and have organised a demonstration for 7.30am, before people have to go work and take children to school.  It is anticipated that if machinery is brought in, there will be an attempt to stop work [2]. 

Local residents will be available to interview and include: 

Caroline Davies - mother of two children, higher education administrator and a writer.

George Mills - grandfather and an "executive car driver", working mainly in London

Dr Michael Taylor - 67 years old and is a retired physics teacher.

Roger Pepworth - retired headmaster.

Heather Fox - 61 years old and is a semi retired music teacher.

Carol Parnell - was a company director and is now an Angel teacher and healer.

Martin Clarke - full time father and was previously a Design Lecturer at Central St Martins, London

Stella Goddard  - graphic designer and mother of three children.

Contact Victoria Harvey on 01525 385 097 or on 07815 817 108 to arrange interviews .

Buckinghamshire County Council have said that work has been suspended on police advice while the security situation is reviewed. This follows the arrest on Wednesday of two women who chained themselves to an excavator [3], with other local people standing in front of chainsaw crews.  Protests started on Monday 17th January as Road Block, the national alliance against road building was launched [4].  Work has been stopped on each day by local residents who have kept up a constant vigil in shifts all week to make sure that work does not resume.  Local people have been demonstrating peacefully all week despite the commitments of jobs and families. 

According to Buckinghamshire County Council's press release, "Protestors have succeeded in delaying the work of one contractor on site - Homegrown Timber Limited. The council, on police advice, agreed not to move in heavy machinery until the site could be adequately secured." 

This road does not help the most congested road in Linslade that children have to cross to go to school. Those who expect a quick journey to Milton Keynes will be stuck in gridlock at the northern end of the bypass. We believe that it is the first piece of infrastructure to pave the way for the huge housing development planned for the 'Growth Area'.  The protest will continue as more and more people know about the issue and understand it.  The protest is mainly local residents who care about their environment, and they will be joined by activists.

 Victoria Harvey of South Bedfordshire Friends of the Earth said:

 "The road ignores government transport policy. and the forecasting for the road is now completely wrong as it does not account for the new housing growth. The present  traffic problems of Soulbury and Stoke Hammond  are nothing to what will happen with the growth. Prescott is completely overriding local people.  This is the London Docklands all over again, the needs of local people are being totally ignored. Local democracy is being destroyed so we are forced to take direct action.   According to John Prescott the new housing is supposed to be based on urban areas and good public transport. Yet the government is funding a road scheme  that will  cause sprawl over beautiful countryside and will not relieve the terrible congestion in Leighton Buzzard.  Prescott's roads and airports will make places horrible to live in.  Our children deserve birds and wildflowers not roads,congestion,airports and global warming."

Local residents have set up a website about the protests:   www.Linsl adeprotest.org.uk . Please see also www.roadblock.org.uk

ENDS

Contact:   South Bedfordshire Friends of the Earth: Victoria Harvey on 01525 385 097 and 07815 817108

NOTES TO EDITORS

[1] The Stoke Hammond and Linslade Western Bypass is the first of four bypasses, which will provide a dual carriageway between Milton Keynes and Aylesbury. This is in one of the Government's 'growth areas', with Milton Keynes set to have 44,000 new homes by 2021, South Bedfordshire 26,000, and Aylesbury 15,000.
[2]  The demonstration will be on the B4032 between Soulbury and Linslade between Dollar Farm and Valley Farm.  

[3] Victoria Harvey (36) and Rebecca Lush (32) were chained to a digger for over 2 hours, and were finally arrested for 'aggravated trespass'.  They have been bailed to appear at Aylesbury Magistrates court on Friday 28th January 2005, at 10am.  Anonymous local supporters have already pledged to pay Victoria's fines.

[4]  Road Block is a national alliance of community groups and individuals opposed to new roads.  New groups from Edinburgh to Cornwall, via the route of the proposed 51-mile M6 Expressway, are joining the Road Block alliance. See www.roadblock.org.uk

[5] For more info on road schemes see Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
[6]  Support for people taking direct action against road building is available from Road Alert! at www.roadalert.org.uk