Archived press release

Britain's top green groups urge blair over roads review

25 July 1997

Eleven of Britain's top environmental organisations [1] have written to Prime Minister Tony Blair [2] expressing "profound concern" over speculation that the Government will shortly give the go-ahead to a number of extremely damaging road-building schemes including the Birmingham Northern Relief Road and the Hastings and Bingley bypasses.

The letters represents the first occasion that the organisations, supported by almost 2 million people, have jointly written to the new Labour Government, highlighting the deep disquiet the groups feel over the outcome of the "accelerated roads review" [3].

The letter to Mr Blair says "Many of the proposed roads would cause unacceptable environmental and wildlife destruction. Should they be built, we fear that lasting damage would be done to your Government's credibility on climate change, wildlife and countryside protection and sustainable transport policies."

The letter warns that: "The outcome of the review will be a test case of Labour's commitment to reduce climate change and health-threatening pollutants and to protect Britain's best wildlife sites. We urge that you achieve these important objectives by cancelling these roads and developing the Government's integrated and environmentally sustainable transport policies".

The result of the 'review' - which will decide the fate of 37 road schemes, 13 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and three areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - will be announced before the end of the month.

Last year Labour said that it is "opposed to building roads through Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and will therefore operate the strongest possible presumption against such construction" [4]. They also promised that "Labour would not build the Birmingham Northern Relief Road" [5].

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] The eleven groups are Friends of the Earth (FOE), The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-UK), Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE),Plantlife, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Transport 2000,ALARM UK, Railway Development Society (RDS), the Environmental Transport Association (ETA), The Wildlife Trusts and Butterfly Conservation.

[2]The letter to the Prime Minister is attached. A longer and more detailed letter, sent to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, is available on request.

[3] On 19 June the Government announced a review of the previous Government's Roads Programme. The main conclusions will be announced in Spring of 1998. However there are 12 cases - encompassing 37 new road schemes - where "an accelerated review" will take place looking at "accessibility,safety, economy and environmental impact". The 'accelerated review' includes some of the most contentious and environmentally damaging schemes such as the Salisbury bypass, Birmingham Northern Relief Road and the M25. An announcement on their fate is expected before Thursday 31 July.

[4] Labour Party. Consensus for Change: June 1996.

[5]News release 21 September 1994.

[Index]

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust