Environment Groups Unite Against Levels M-Way

Welsh environment groups have united in opposition to the proposed Gwent Levels motorway scheme, announced in December by the Welsh Assembly Government. Friends of the Earth Cymru, Gwent Wildlife Trust, RSPB Cymru, Gwent Ornithological Society and the Newport and Valleys branch of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) have met to discuss their opposition to the scheme and examine alternatives.

The groups are concerned that the proposed new road would:

• Destroy important wildlife sites and parts of the historic landscape of the Gwent Levels: home to many rare species of plants and animals;
• Cause congestion elsewhere in Wales and the west of England ;
• Generate extra traffic, meaning more emissions of carbon dioxide: the main gas causing global warming;
• Increase car dependency leading to ill health and less fitness in south Wales ;
• Cost millions of pounds which could be used for public transport, cycling and walking.

The groups will be pressing for further consideration and more public debate around a number of suggested alternative solutions to congestion on the M4, including:

• Road traffic reduction measures including support for public transport and rail freight;
• Traffic management options such as variable speed limits, road pricing and junction alterations;
• Increasing the capacity of the M4 through some widening and addition of another tunnel at Brynglas;
• Further development on existing and permitted road capacity.

The groups have agreed to work together to oppose the plans and will be meeting further in the new year to agree their next moves.

Margaret Hunt of the Newport and Valleys branch of CPRW said,

"'When the M4 Relief Road scheme was first introduced, CPRW strongly opposed it on grounds of its damaging impact upon the Levels landscape and wildlife. More than a decade on, the charity continues to object to the building of this environmentally questionable motorway."

Julian Rosser, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru commented,

" Wales desperately needs a new direction in transport policy. The Assembly Government should be leading the way with a radical strategy to decrease road traffic and improve our quality of life. Instead, we see a plan which will increase traffic growth, fuel climate change and destroy the countryside. We will be campaigning for better ways to decrease congestion and boost the Welsh economy."

Julian Branscombe, Chief Executive of Gwent Wildlife Trust said,

"This terrible road proposal must be this Christmas's turkey. We believe any impact on such a sensitive wetland landscape would be unacceptable. This road proposal will devastate what are Wales ' finest wetlands. We shall be fighting this terrible proposal all the way."

Katie-jo Luxton, RSPB Cymru Policy Advocate, commented,

"RSPB Cymru believes that Assembly support for a new motorway south of Newport makes a mockery of its commitment to sustainable development. There is no way this road proposal can be described as sustainable - it will exacerbate climate change via emissions from increased car journeys, cut through protected wildlife sites, open the door to more development on green field land, and it could very well act as an economic drain on the wider area. A small city such as Newport does not need fourteen lanes of highway around it!"