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Newbury protestor's appeal court hearing fails.
27 February 1996
Appeal Court Judges today ruled that Newbury Bypass protesters have no legal grounds to resist eviction from their camps on the route of the proposed road. The protester's lawyers argued that evictions anticipated to begin soon would not be legal because of the failure by the British Government to carry out an adequate environmental impact assessment of the road in accordance with a European Union directive.
Several of the UK's larger countryside conservation organisations, including the World Wide Fund for Nature, the Wildlife Trusts and the Council for the Protection of Rural England, tried to bring a simultaneous action but were denied a hearing by the Court.
Tony Juniper, Deputy Campaigns Director at Friends of the Earth said:
"Even though they are judged to have lost some of the legal arguments, the protesters still hold the moral high ground. Most people now know that the bypass will not provide a long term solution to local transport problems and are alarmed by the environmental damage that will result from it. That is why the protesters will continue to enjoy massive public sympathy, no matter what the Courts say".
Today's case was heard by three Law Lords. This is very unusual and reflects the high importance attached to the case by the British Government.
ENDS
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Sep 2008
