Speakers Include:

Charles Secrett - Director of Friends of the Earth George Monbiot - acclaimed writer and Fellow of Green College Oxford

A mass protest to be held at Donnington Castle on 29 July will demonstrate the strength of public opposition to the proposed Newbury Bypass. This major trunk road was given the go-ahead in July 1995, after just 7 months of a 1-year review. No attempt was made to look at alternatives to road-building, such as traffic reduction.

Friends of the Earth, working with local people and an alliance of major environmental and transport groups, is encouraging people who care about the countryside to be there.

The Newbury Bypass is generally regarded as being one of the most environmentally destructive road schemes in the National Roads Programme. Opposition on the scale of the successful battle to save Oxleas Wood is planned.

Simon Festing, Habitats Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:

"The Newbury Bypass would be an environmental disaster. It would run through beautiful English countryside, including five nationally important areas. And the road will not even be a solution to Newbury's traffic problems. Traffic growth will mean congestion close to today's levels again within a few years."

This demonstration will show just how widespread opposition is to the road, and will force the Government into another Oxleas Wood' style U-turn."

The proposed bypass would cross five nationally important areas, including: Snelsmore Common SSSI, the rivers Kennet and Lambourn SSSIs, the First Battle of Newbury site and The North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.