Alliance against road building

PRESS RELEASE – 23rd November 2006

ROADS MINISTER AGREES M1 WIDENING COULD BE STOPPED

Roads Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman in a response to Sheffield MP Clive Betts agreed that the M1 widening may not go ahead if environmental impacts could not be overcome.

The Roads Minister was speaking at Oral Transport Questions on 21 Nov when he said: "If we cannot mitigate the environmental consequences of the widening, it will not go ahead".

He was responding to a question from Sheffield, Attercliffe MP Clive Betts who asked the minister to confirm assurances that he had told local residents that the scheme would not go ahead if it increased CO2, that steps would be taken to minimise CO2, and that an environmental impact study would be made available. Dr Ladyman confirmed that there would be an environmental impact assessment (which is a legal requirement anyway), but did not confirm that the widening would be scrapped if CO2 levels would be increased. He instead stated that: "If we cannot mitigate the environmental consequences of the widening, it will not go ahead".

The M1 widening from junctions 30-42 would go through Mr Betts constituency, and increase noise and pollution for local residents and local schools. Local people in Tinsley already experience air quality levels which are already in excess of legal limits. Local people have formed an alliance against the scheme called No Widening M1 - http://www.nowideningm1.org.uk/

The M1 widening between junctions 30 and 42 currently costs £989 million, and was approved into the government's roads programme in March 2005. Taken together all the M1 widening schemes total over £3.7 billion which is over a third of the entire government's Targeted Programme of Improvements roads programme (£10.232 billion). The No Widening M1 Alliance has groups now in Luton, Milton Keynes, Leicestershire, Nottingham, Chesterfield, Derby, Sheffield and Leeds. On the day of the Stern report publication on the economic impact of climate change groups hung banners along the entire length of the motorway to highlight the CO2 impacts of the widening - see http://www.flickr.com/photos/m1oct30/.

Local resident and GP and No M1 Widening Alliance founder Dr Julie White said:

"We are grateful that the minister has acknowledged the huge environmental toll this widening would bring on the residents of Sheffield. We would like him to reconfirm his assurances to us that if the road would increase CO2 and other air pollutants it will not go ahead. Local people are already suffering ill health from air pollution and this widening madness will not be tolerated."

Contacts:

Dr Julie White, No Widening M1 Alliance founder is available on 07759 851073
Rebecca Lush coordinator of Road Block, the national alliance against roadbuilding is on 07854 693067

Notes to Editors:

[1] The full question by Clive Betts MP and answer by Dr Ladyman are here:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm061121/debtext/61121-0002.htm#06112156000597
21 Nov 2006: Hansard Column 400

Mr. Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe) (Lab): I know my hon. Friend is aware of the levels of carbon dioxide that are badly affecting residents in Tinsley, in my constituency. When he met a delegation from the area recently, he gave us certain assurances which I hope he will be prepared to put on record. He assured us that the widening of the M1 would not go ahead if carbon dioxide emissions increased as a result, that wherever possible measures would be introduced to try to reduce them, and that there would be a full environmental impact study whose findings would be available for public consultation. Will he now confirm those assurances?

Dr. Ladyman: My hon. Friend has been vigorous in campaigning for the people of Tinsley, and specifically in drawing my attention to the concerns of schools on the route. I can assure him publicly that there will be a full environmental impact assessment. If we cannot mitigate the environmental consequences of the widening, it will not go ahead, so it is our responsibility to find ways of mitigating it. I can also assure my hon. Friend that I have noted the particular concerns of schools, and regard it as our responsibility to find an solution that is acceptable to parents and children and which will prevent them from suffering as a result of any widening of the road.

[2] Dr Ladyman met local residents and Clive Betts MP in September:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/5348494.stm

[3] No Widening M1 Alliance were formed in 2005, and their website is here: http://nowideningm1.org.uk/

A photo of local residents demonstrating against M1 widening is attached. The demonstration happened on 6 November, the day of the publication of the Stern Report on Climate Change. This photograph is free to reproduce.
More photographs are available free of charge here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/m1oct30/

Road Block
020 7729 6973 / 07854 693067
www.roadblock.org.uk