Archived press release

Midland voters tell prescott "keep labour's promise - don't build the bnrr"

17 July 1997

In an eleventh hour protest, a coachload of Midland voters will today (Thursday) tell Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to keep Labour's pre-Election promise not to build the Birmingham Northern Relief Road (BNRR) when a decision is announced next week [1].

The voters include Mrs Nikky Bradshaw-Smith from Shenstone who was used by the Labour Party as a new Labour voter for TV appearances during the 1996 South East Staffordshire by-election. Mrs Bradshaw-Smith will hand in a floral protest that reads "No BNRR" to Mr Prescott's office in Victoria [2].

Campaigners believe next week's announcement could herald the destruction of 27 miles of Midlands Green Belt, despite repeated assurances to local MPs and campaigning groups that Labour would not built the BNRR [3].

Nikky Bradshaw-Smith said:

"I was persuaded to vote Labour because I thought it would stop the Birmingham Northern Relief Road. Labour is now in power and I expect Mr Prescott to keep their promise not to build the road."

Gerald Kells of West Midlands Friends of the Earth said:

"Ordinary voters understand that building more motorways only creates more traffic, more congestion and more pollution. Mr Prescott should fulfil Labour's promise and scrap the Birmingham Northern Relief Road".

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] The coachload of Midlands voters will arrive at Victoria by 2:00 pm. Carrying a banner reading "Labour: you promised no BNRR", they will assemble outside Mr Prescott's office at Eland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DU for a photocall at 2:30 pm. Mrs Bradshaw-Smith will then hand a sixteen inch high floral protest, which reads "No BNRR" to Mr Prescott or one of his staff.

In 1994, the then Shadow Transport Secretary Frank Dobson promised that "Labour would not build the BNRR" in a press release issued by Mike O'Brien MP. Mr O'Brien and two other Labour MPs, Tony Wright and Brian Jenkins, oppose the BNRR.

On 19 June, 1997, Transport Minister Gavin Strang announced a review of the entire trunk roads programme. Results are expected in spring 1997. However Mr Strang chose to prioritise 37 schemes, including the BNRR, which have been subject to an accelerated review. The results of this are expected to be announced on Tuesday, 22nd July, 1997.

[2] Mrs Nikky Bradshaw-Smith was asked by Staffordshire South East Labour Party to speak as a new Labour voter at a Labour press event, which was filmed for BBC Midlands Today in April 1996, as part of Labour's campaign to win the Staffordshire South East by-election. She agreed because of Labour's commitment not to build BNRR.

[3] The Birmingham Northern Relief Road (BNRR) will, if built, be a 27 mile, six-lane private toll motorway from the M42 at Coleshill, Warks to the M6 near Cannock,Staffs. It is the largest single project in the Government's trunk roads programme.If built, it would run entirely through the Birmingham Green Belt and would damage two nationally significant wildlife sites.

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