Alliance against road building

PRESS RELEASE – 6th April 2005

THAMES GATEWAY MOTORWAY BRIDGE PRE-INQUIRY MEETING ENDS IN CHAOS

At the Thames Gateway Bridge pre-Inquiry meeting on Monday 4th April, the meeting ended in chaos, as the Inspectors walked out after uproar from local residents, and a protester seized the Inspector's microphone, and was chased around their table by an official.

The Inspector had just refused Objector's proposals that the Inquiry (due to start 7th June) should be postponed due to the shambolic way the Inquiry has been arranged so far. Road Block warns that more of this type of protest is likely, as more road schemes are planned, and there is growing anger that the Government have gone back on promises to reduce traffic and stop roadbuilding.

Inspector's listened to representations for over 2 hours from resident's groups, Bexley Council's barrister, environment and transport groups, and local Liberal Democrat and Conservative Parliamentary Candidates that the consultation for the scheme has been appalling and shambolic. The Inspector had also been provided with an out-of-date Statement of Case by Transport for London, and seemed to be unclear about the rules.

Despite being legally entitled to demand a postponement from the Secretary of State, and the overwhelming case for it, he made a ruling that the inquiry would proceed as planned. The two Inspectors walked out without finishing most of the agenda, creating more confusion about how the inquiry would proceed. Objector's are demanding the pre-Inquiry meeting should be re-arranged for a later date.

Objector's to the road scheme expressed concerns that many resident's groups opposed to the motorway had not even been informed or consulted about the Inquiry, and that most local people are not even aware that a motorway is coming their way. They were also concerned that the Inquiry is being fast-tracked, and Objector's are not being given enough time to prepare their case.

Rebecca Lush of Road Block said:

"Resident's, who will suffer the pollution from the 20 million vehicles a day using this motorway, have shown that they will not be bulldozed out of the way. The Inspector's ruling demonstrates how undemocratic these Inquiries are, and that they are a rubber stamping exercise. But the protests also show that people will not take this lying down. This is the first time that a Road Public Inquiry has been disrupted for years, and shows the strength of feeling building up nationally against this Government's unsustainable transport policies."

Ends

Contact Road Block on 01803 847649 or 07854 693067 and see www.roadblock.org.uk

CONTACT: Road Block on 01803 847649 and 07854 693067 and office@roadblock.org.uk and see www.roadblock.org.uk

Notes to Editors

[1] Groups calling for a postponement include Transport 2000 (www.transport2000.org.uk ) , Action Group Against the Bridge (AGAB), People Against the River Crossing (PARC), Friends of the Earth (www.foe.co.uk), and 6 Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates, who put out a joint press statement on 29 March.

[2] The Pre-Inquiry, where the Inspector discusses procedures for the Inquiry, with supporters and objectors, is taking place at 1pm on Monday 4th April at Charlton Athletic Football Club, Floyd Road, London SE7 8BL

[3] The scheme was ‘called in’ on 19 January, an Inquiry was announced on 25 February, leaving only a few months for opponents to commission experts to challenge the case for the £500 million motorway bridge.

[4] Road Block, the alliance against road building, was launched in January 2005. Road Block was established to help groups defeat the over 200 planned and proposed road schemes that are planned around the country. Groups from Edinburgh to Cornwall have joined the alliance. See www.roadblock.org.uk