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Bulldozer shadow looms over top wildlife sites
14 December 2000
For immediate release, Thursday 14th December 2000page 1 of 1
“The shadow of the bulldozer is looming over some of the UK's finest wildlife sites and most attractive countryside. The extra money for public transport and small-scale schemes such as bus lanes and traffic calming is very welcome. But the go-ahead for some very damaging road schemes signals a return to the bad old days.John Prescott may want to get people out of their cars and to reduce climate change but building these new roads won't achieve it.
“The Tories found that building roads through middle England is a surefire way of losing support. Labour hasn't taken note of this and seems determined to learn the hard way”.
Among the roads given Government support and funding are:
* Weymouth Relief Road (Dorset) which passes through the Dorset Downs, Heath and Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
* Barnstaple Western Bypass (Devon) which would damage the Taw and Torridge Estuary SSSI
* Camelford Bypass (Cornwall) which crosses the River Camel Special Area of Conservation - a European-designated wildlife site
* Carlisle Northern Development Route (Cumbria) which would damage the River Eden and impact on the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site
* Nar Ouse Regeneration Route (Norfolk) which involves a crossing of the River Nar SSSI
In its 1998-99 Annual Report, the Government stated that 'building more roads will not solve our problems”.
In the Trunk Roads Review in 1998, the Government stated that “there will be a strong presumption against new or expanded transport infrastructure which would adversely affect environmentally sensitive sites such as Site of Special Scientific Interest, National Parks,Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or National Nature Reserves” (section 3.4)
Details of road schemes in the settlement: http://www.detr.gov.uk/itwp/trps/index.htm
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jul 2008
