Archived press release

Government gives Newbury Bypass go ahead

27 November 1995

Friends of the Earth said that today's Government decision to pay o77 million for construction of the A34 Newbury bypass is politically motivated. In the face of expected large scale cuts to the National Roads Programme in tomorrow's budget, the Department of Transport is to proceed with one of the most environmentally destructive roads in the country, despite research showing that the transport problems of Newbury could be better solved through traffic management and public transport. Due to funding shortages, it is likely that this road will be the only one to be started next year.

If built, the Newbury bypass will damage five nationally designated sites: an area of outstanding natural beauty, three nationally important wildlife areas (sites of special scientific interest) and Newbury's registered civil war battlefield (the first battle of Newbury in 1643). The road scheme was reviewed in early 1995 in view of widespread public concern', but the promised one-year review was cut short after intense pro-road lobbying.

The transport arguments of favour of a bypass for Newbury are very weak. The A34 is already a dual-carriageway inner relief road for the town. Bypass proponents claim that 50,000 vehicles travel through Newbury on the A34 every day, but the Highways Agency's own data shows that 70 per cent of this traffic is local. There have been no measures locally to restrain or manage the traffic, and public transport is very poor.

The bypass is a massive commitment of public funds at a time when money for public transport and other transport infrastructure is scarce. The Newbury bypass would cost o77 million for just 13 km of road.

Tony Juniper, Deputy Campaigns Director of Friends of the Earth said: "The Department of Transport is squandering taxpayers money on bulldozing ahead with this crazy road scheme when it is not even justified in transport terms, let alone on environmental grounds. Given that this looks like being the only new road scheme to be started next year, the decision appears to have more to do with local Tory politics than transport policy".

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust