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Sir George heads for rapids over M25
11 April 1996
Friends of the Earth strongly condemned Sir George Young's decision, today, to press ahead with plans to widen sections of the M25 to as many as twelve lanes[1].The announcement comes just weeks before the Secretary of State is expected to publish a Green Paper on transport and is the second of a series suggesting the Government has spurned the chance of concensus on the direction of London's transport policy [2].
Roger Higman, Senior Transport Campaigner said:
"Widening the M25 to twelve lanes will cause extra traffic and increase pollution in an already congested area. This decision will incense Conservative voters. Having failed to grasp the lifeline offered by Crossrail, Sir George Young is heading straight for the rapids and potential disaster for the Conservatives at the next General Election."
Friends of the Earth will continue its campaign to force the Government to adopt sustainable transport policies with a protest in support of the Road Traffic Reduction Bill outside the Department of Transport offices on Saturday [3].
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] The Department of Transport is expected to announce today, that it will press ahead with plans, announced last April, to widen the M25 to ten lanes from junctions 12 to 14 and to twelve lanes from junctions 14 to 15.
[2] On 2 April, Sir George Young deferred plans to seek Parliamentary approval for the Crossrail project to link Paddington and Liverpool Street, effectively axing the project for the time being. Later this month, he is expected to publish a Green Paper which will include his response to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's 1994 report which was deeply critical of Government transport policy.
[3] Friends of the Earth, the Green Party and the Plaid Cymru Parliamentary Party are "surrounding the DoT" on Saturday 13 April, as part of a campaign to promote the Road Traffic Reduction Bill.
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Sep 2008
