Alliance against road building

PRESS RELEASE – 31st March 2005

BULLDOZED COMMUNITIES STAND UP TO THAMES MOTORWAY BRIDGE - POSTPONE THE PUBLIC INQUIRY!

Residents, environment groups and politicians opposing the Thames Gateway Bridge [1], will refuse to be bulldozed out of the way, when the pre-inquiry meeting opens on Monday 4th, April 2005 [2]. They will be demanding a postponement of the fast-tracked Inquiry, due to start on 7th June 2005. They claim that Transport for London (TfL) are bulldozing the scheme through too fast, have not consulted adequately about the motorway bridge, and the fast-track inquiry process is not giving opponents time to prepare their case adequately [3].

The alliance against roadbuilding, Road Block, is adding its voice to the call for a postponement and warns that protests are inevitable [4]. Road Block is concerned that:

- Most people in the communities who will suffer from the higher traffic levels do not even know about the motorway bridge

- The consultation process has been flawed – leaflets have been delivered to non-English speaking communities, many areas have not been leafleted, and some residents groups have not been informed of the pre-inquiry meeting

- Local residents and lobby groups have not been given enough time to prepare for the Inquiry. Several months, at least, are needed by objectors to commission and produce reports to challenge the extravagant claims made for the bridge by the Mayor and TfL.

- The case for the motorway bridge is fundamentally flawed – the motorway will bring more traffic, noise and pollution to communities both north and south of the river (20 millions vehicles a year past people’s homes), and any regeneration will be car-based unsustainable development.

Rebecca Lush, of Road Block, said:

“The anger and frustration felt locally against this scheme, and the way it is being bulldozed through could result in protests. This road scheme was defeated in 1993, and it will be defeated again. Ken Livingstone opposed the motorway before, even claiming he would ‘rather be buried alive in concrete’ than build it. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that! The Government must learn that forcing road schemes and traffic on communities will result in protests”

CONTACT: Road Block on 01803 847649 and 07854 693067 and office@roadblock.org.uk and see www.roadblock.org.uk

Notes to Editors

[1] Groups calling for a postponement include Transport 2000 (www.transport2000.org.uk ) , Action Group Against the Bridge (AGAB), People Against the River Crossing (PARC), Friends of the Earth (www.foe.co.uk), and 6 Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates, who put out a joint press statement on 29 March.

[2] The Pre-Inquiry, where the Inspector discusses procedures for the Inquiry, with supporters and objectors, is taking place at 1pm on Monday 4th April at Charlton Athletic Football Club, Floyd Road, London SE7 8BL

[3] The scheme was ‘called in’ on 19 January, an Inquiry was announced on 25 February, leaving only a few months for opponents to commission experts to challenge the case for the £500 million motorway bridge.

[4] Road Block, the alliance against road building, was launched in January 2005. Road Block was established to help groups defeat the over 200 planned and proposed road schemes that are planned around the country. Groups from Edinburgh to Cornwall have joined the alliance. See www.roadblock.org.uk