Road Block e-bulletin * 30 September 2005
Further info on opposing roads can be found at http://www.roadblock.org.uk.
The next e-bulletin deadline is 12 October; please send us your campaign
news.
Further info on opposing roads can be found at http://www.roadblock.org.uk
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order at http://www.roadblock.org.uk/givemoney.htm
. The next e-bulletin deadline is 12 October; please send us your
campaign news.
CONTENTS
(1) Campaign updates - Priory Crescent, Southend (Essex); Weymouth
Relief Road (Dorset); Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Norfolk);
Titnore Lane (East Sussex); Mottram-Tintwistle bypass (Peak District);
A27 Arundel Bypass (East Sussex); New M1 widening campaign; Bristol
roads; Bournemouth Airport Access Road (Dorset); Lancaster Northern
Bypass; Kingskerswell Bypass (Devon); M74 (Glasgow); Tunstall Northern
Bypass (Stoke); Dalkeith Bypass (Edinburgh)
(2) Transport news - Darling gives go-ahead to traffic growth; Begg
sees bigger picture; Eddington wants more roads; Jeremy Clarkson; What
can Road Block do for me?
(3) Take Action - Urgent - Weymouth Relief Road Planning Application;
Pre-budget report lobbying
(4) Events -
8 Oct - Roads and Runways gathering
10 Oct - Road User Charging Seminar
14 Oct - Demo outside the PDNPA HQ in Bakewell.
15 Oct - Local Transport Plan training day, Manchester
11 Oct - The End of Oil conference
23 Oct - Freedom to protest conference
3 Dec - International Demo against Climate Change
**************************************************
(1) CAMPAIGN NEWS
A127/A1159 Priory Crescent, Southend (Essex)
Southend based road campaigners Parklife started a long term tree sit
and camp on 23 September at the recently discovered East Saxon king's
burial site in the very heart of town. They want to oppose, and
ultimately to stop the controversial F5 road scheme, planned for the
A127/A1159 Priory Crescent, Southend on Sea, Essex. The objective
is to influence the Department for Transport to reject funding the
significant cash shortfall of £7.74m for the road, and ultimately
to stop the destruction that it will bring to the town. 'Camp
Bling' - named after the recently discovered 'Prince of Prittlewell,'
or 'King of Bling' - is located above the site of the burial, and
strategically in the middle of the route of the proposed road and
railway bridge, next to the Liverpool Street railway line. This
scheme would not only trash the Anglo Saxon King's burial mound, but
also part of Priory Park, and 113 trees. Residents have collected
over 20,000 signatures against the road. Campaigners would
welcome visitors, and support, especially financial. Call
See
http://savepriorypark.org
Weymouth Relief Road (Dorset) - URGENT
A planning application was submitted on 23 September. Letters are
urgently needed before 14 October. Go to the Take Action page of
our website at http://www.roadblock.org.uk/action/weymouth.htm
for a standard letter you can email directly to Dorset County
Council. This scheme is one of the most destructive in the LTP
programme. It would cross through an Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty (AONB - the top landscape designation in Britain), and would
devastate the settings of numerous iron age barrows. It would
also cut across an ancient woodland owned by the Woodland Trust, who
are opposing the scheme, with Dorset CPRE. On Sunday 2 October,
Derek Fawell will lead a walk along the 2 mile southern half of the
proposed route. Meet at 10.30am at Greenway Road, Weymouth.
Contact: Derek on or
Norwich Northern Distributor Road (Norfolk)
Congratulations are due to the No N25 campaign, as Norfolk CC have
accepted at a council meeting on 19 Sept, that there will be no NDR
across or around the Wensum Valley. The road will be proposed to
stop at Taverham and go no further. The most environmentally
damaging 25% of the road is defeated. There will be no single
carriageway outer route because the Council believes it would not have
a sufficient impact on traffic anyway, and because the environmental
bodies still object to it because of its crossing of the River
Tud. A banner was dropped during the council meeting highlighting
the lack of public consultation. The remaining three-quarters road
looks increasingly more unlikely, and the No N25 campaign are working
locally to make sure it is dropped for good with a public meeting on 7
October.
Read all about it at
http://www.norwichn25.org
Titnore Lane (East Sussex)
On Saturday, 29 October at 2pm, the newly formed 'Titnore Emergency
Action' is to hold a protest at the southern end of Titnore Lane that
is likely to form the start of an occupation of the Titnore lane
site. It is intended that any Titnore Lane occupation will be the
base camp supporting actions all along the A27. Titnore Lane is a
winding old English lane between the A27 and A259, with it's
overhanging canopy provided by mature oak trees and believed to have
once been a droveway with origins in pre-history. Soon all that
history, charm and much biodiversity will be lost if the road builders
get their way. Proposed is a horrible scheme to widen, straighten, chop
hundreds of mature trees etc and build a roundabout for an access
road. All to provide a means for traffic to reach the already
over-trafficked A27 from a massive new housing estate. An added concern
is the threat to the designation of the South Downs National Park if
this scheme goes ahead. During the 90's determination prevented
the so-called 'South Coast Super Highway'. However over the years since
then, the siren voices are back, calling again for that Super Highway
along the coast.
See
http://www.protectourwoodland.fsnet.co.uk
and
http://www.scar-uk.fsnet.co.uk
for further info.
Mottram-Tintwistle bypass (Peak District)
CPRE have commissioned an independent report into the potential for a
lorry ban on the A628. The report, developed by independent transport
professional Metropolitan Transport Research Unit (MTRU), concludes
that the lorry ban is worthy of further study. Unfortunately the PDNPA
do not seem interested in taking this course of action, so we need to
pile the pressure on and remind them that their support for the loss of
habitat, traffic increases, increased pollution that is an inevitable
consequence of their support for the bypass is inconsistent with their
statutory duty - "to protect and conserve the National Park". Please
write to them and make your views heard. More information plus details
of what to write and who to send the letter to are provided on the Take
Action pages of the Road Block website. See http://www.roadblock.org.uk/action/a628.htm
14 October, 9am - Demo outside the PDNPA HQ in Bakewell. See http://www.roadblock.org.uk/action/a628.htm
for more details.
For more information on the Save Swallow's Wood campaign against the
A628 and to sign the online petition, please visit
http://ww.saveswallowswood.org.uk
A27 Arundel Bypass (East Sussex)
Surveyors have been seen out in force plotting a new route for a road
around the Arundel Bypass and in the National Trust woodland near to
the bottleneck at Fontwell. But that's not all. Work is now well under
way on the existing Chichester Bypass (ring-road) to erect flyovers,
over the roundabouts.
No M1 widening
The No Widening M1 Campaign had it's launch in Sheffield on the 22
September, with a good reception from the public and the local
press. Leaflets and posters are available to distribute and a
postcard campaign to MPs is being started. Please contact
if you would like these resources, and
see
http://www.nowideningm1.org.uk
for further info. The proposed widening, from Luton to
Leeds, would cost a whopping £3 billion, just to fill up again
with traffic. Some of the widening is very controversial,
including the stretch through the Tinsley community in Sheffield, which
already suffers illegal pollution levels.
Bristol roads
Greater Bristol Strategic Transport study, undertaken by W.S.Atkins for
four local authorities, announced its findings and started a public
consultation period on 23 September. Surprisingly a lot of the
proposals are public transport improvements and 'soft measures' to
reduce car use. However, the sting in the tail are the completion of
the south Bristol Ring Road which is likely to be mostly urban dual
carriageway, but starting in open countryside, and a new connecting
link between the A370 and the M5 which skirts around Nailsea. Both
roads are likely to result in opposition from residents and
environmental groups, particularly the link road because it appears to
run through the Tyntesfield Estate, the house and estate of the late
Lord Wraxall newly acquired and opened by the National Trust, which is
their local 'jewel in the crown'.
Bournemouth Airport Access Road (Dorset)
Predictably, within the South East Dorset LTP2 the Bournemouth Airport
expansion is key to a major road scheme. There is a proposal for a new
airport access road from the B3073 to A338, it will be impossible for
this to be constructed without passing through floodplains and SSSI,
although sadly English Nature is looking for an 'acceptable' route.
East Dorset Friends of the Earth have already opposed this and will
continue to do so.
Lancaster Northern Bypass
Looks like the Transport Solutions for Lancaster and Morecambe (TSLM)
group had a fun day out walking the proposed route on 4 September,
judging by the beautiful and dramatic photos on their website:
http://heyshamm6link.info/html/whats_new_.html
. Walking the route is a great way to get new people involved, to
get good media coverage, and to increase attachment to the land you are
fighting for.
Kingskerswell Bypass (Devon)
Unfortunately, a grant of Conditional Planning Permission for this
scheme was issued on 26th August 2005, after GOSW failed to 'call in'
the planning application for public inquiry. Meanwhile, a parish
council member of the Kingskerswell Alliance who was elected on an anti
bypass ticket, has just been advised by the Standards Board for England
that he failed to declare a prejudicial interest at a meeting back in
February 2005. The meeting considered mitigation measures for the
controversial scheme, after the Parish Council had been consulted for
its views. Cllr. Bright put forward a proposal, not opposing the road,
but simply seeking improved environmental measures, but was reported by
6 pro-bypass councillors. Cllr. Bright did declare an interest at
the meeting, but felt it was not prejudicial as he was not actually
opposing the bypass. He will now have to appear before a local
Standards Monitoring Committee because his property lies within 100m of
the proposed new road. However the good news is that the
Standards Board ruled that whilst he did break the rules, his actions
were considered to be for the benefit of the local community. The
hearing date is yet to be fixed.
M74 (Glasgow)
The campaign have launched an important legal challenge on the Scottish
Executive's decision to overturn the inquiry Inspector, and desperately
need funds (see RB bulletin 17 June).
See
http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/about/m74_appeal_intro.html
Tunstall Northern Bypass (Stoke)
Surveyors have been on site, so it looks like they`will again try to
start work before the High Court Hearing, which they've done twice in
the past. The appeal against the granting of Compulsory Purchase Orders
and the legality of the Planning Permission is to be heard on 9 / 10
November in the High Court, London. Support welcome.
Campaigners are also considering a simultaneous Judicial Review.
See
http://spaces.msn.com/members/tunstall
for this scheme which threatens Scotia Valley.
Dalkeith Bypass (Edinburgh)
Over 250 people turned up for a public meeting against this road scheme
on 27 Sept. See
http://www.save-dalkeith-park.org.uk
(2) TRANSPORT NEWS
Alistair Darling gives go-ahead to traffic growth
In an interview with new magazine, Transport Times, Alistair Darling,
the Secretary of State for Transport, has indicated that he had
abandoned John Prescott's previous pledges to tackle traffic
growth.
See
http://www.transporttimes.co.uk/;news;item/1/5
David Begg sees the bigger picture
Former Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT) Chair, Professor
David Begg, has said in an article in Transport Times "Let me hold my
hand up and plead guilty to not having my eye on this ball in the six
years I chaired the Commission for Integrated Transport... I wanted to
change travel behaviour mainly to tackle congestion. Don't get me
wrong. I'm still as passionate about road pricing. But I was negligent
when it came to climate change....The danger is that this agenda gets
dumped in the "all too difficult politically" pile. I'm on the side of
those who are worried and alarmed. The stakes don't come any higher
than saving the planet". Another one to add to the pile of people
coming to the recognition that climate change is the single most
important issue of our time? See
http://www.transporttimes.co.uk/Opinion
for the full interview.
Rod Eddington indicates more roads
In his first interview (in Transport Times) since becoming the
transport czar, Rod Eddington, tasked by Blair and Brown to review UK
transport policy and come up with a long-term strategy, indicated that
he saw the future in more infrastructure. Despite recognising
that Britain has the fourth largest economy in the world, with a low
rate of investment in big infrastructure, he thinks we desperately need
more concrete. We think someone needs to alert him to climate
change...
http://www.transporttimes.co.uk/Interview/
New guidance on the preparation of Final Local Transport Plans
This new guidance has just been released, which outlines what happens
before local authorities have to submit their final versions in March
2006. It's just 3 pages long, and there is no mention of Major
(road) Schemes.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_localtrans/documents/divisionhomepage/030859.hcsp
. Consultations on the provisional LTPs are happening now. See
http://www.daveches.co.uk/ltp2.php
for a list
Jeremy Clarkson
Since the 'cake incident' at Clarkson's honorary degree ceremony (see
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-1785097,00.html),
the Conservative led County Council (who have pledged to 'end Labour's
war against the motorist') have passed a motion backing Clarkson,
offering him a free parking space in the city, and inviting him to
lunch. Clarkson has turned down their invitation, much to the
ridicule of the local media.
What can Road Block do for me?
For those campaigning against road schemes, we can offer you the
following help:
* Numerous Briefing Papers on our website, from campaign tactics to
understanding cost benefit analysis!
* Referral to expert help - on planning issues, traffic modelling,
ecology, freedom of information, legal challenges
* Small amounts of funding, especially on campaigning expenses, like
leaflets and banners, and demonstrations
* Publicity for your activities
* Support, advice and encouragement - call anytime!
(3) TAKE ACTION
Urgent - Weymouth Relief Road Planning Application
Please send in letters objecting to the Planning Application by 14
October 2005. This is one of the most destructive schemes in the
roads programme. Objection letters now could help ensure there is
a Public Inquiry. Go to the Take Action page of the Road Block
website for a standard letter you can cut and paste at http://www.roadblock.org.uk/action/weymouth.htm
Pre-budget report lobbying - Transport and Climate Change
A quick easy bit of lobbying in time for the important pre-budget
report in November, has been made possible by Friends of the
Earth.
Click here -
http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/transport/press_for_change/prebudget05/index.html
- for a standard letter to Gordon Brown outlining three measures
he can introduce now to tackle climate change:
. Raising Air Passenger Duty to stop the runaway growth in aviation
emissions
. Reform car tax to give a real incentive to buy fuel efficient cars
. Increase fuel duty and invest in public transport
(4) EVENTS
Local Transport Plan training day, Manchester on 15 Oct
This is for activists to compare their local authority's draft 5 year
LTPs, and share campaign strategies.
See
http://transport2000.org.uk/diarydates/maintainDiaryDates.asp?DiaryDateID=414
Roads and Runways gathering - 8 Oct
Gathering to plan action against expansion of aviation and the roads
programme, in Nottingham, from 10am. Early booking essential:
email or phone . And see
http://www.roadalert.org.uk
Road User Charging Seminar - 10 Oct
This seminar will look at how to take the debate forward in the light
of the government's decision to pilot local schemes ahead of a national
scheme. Central London on 10 October from 1.30pm to 5pm.
Email for details.
The End of Oil conference - 11 Oct
A major conference examining the peak oil problem and its impact on
climate change, the world's food supply & the world economy.
Speakers include Michael Meacher MP, Tim Lang and Andrew Simms (of
NEF), chaired by Dr Ian Gibson MP. The conference is organised by East
Anglia Food Link, CRed and PowerSwitch.org.uk.
See
http://www.eafl.org.uk/default.asp?topic=ByTheme&topic=Oiltopic=ByTheme&topic=Oil&topic=OilConf
Or book by calling CRED on 01603 592 838
14 October, 9am - Demo outside the PDNPA HQ in Bakewell. See http://www.roadblock.org.uk/action/a628.htm
for more details.
Freedom to protest conference - 23 Oct. See
http://www.freedomtoprotest.org.uk/
International Demonstrations on Climate Change - 3 Dec
Demonstrations will be happening all over the world on 3rd December for
action at climate change. There will be a large demo in London
whilst the UN climate talks are happening in Montreal.
See
http://www.globefox.com/cacc/globalclimatecampaign.html
