Alliance against road building

 

PRESS RELEASE (FOR TRANSPORT TIMES) – 31st October 2005
100 NEW ROAD MAJOR SCHEMES IN LTP2

Research by Road Block, the alliance against road building, has shown that at least 101 new road schemes are being considered in the 83 draft Local Transport Plans (LTP), with another 19 developer funded schemes (1).

Road Block conducted a telephone survey of all 83 authorities who have submitted Local Transport Plans. They informed Road Block of 101 local authority road schemes, and 19 private developer schemes, bringing the total to 120 potential roads in the five year LTP period (2006-11)

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The two worst offending authorities are:

Northamptonshire - with an astonishing eleven new roads.
Essex - seven schemes that include road building, including a £138 million bypass in Chelmsford

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Controversial schemes amongst those proposed in LTP2 include:

Shrewsbury North West Relief Road, Shropshire - This scheme will cut through superb landscape including Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and the old bed of the River Severn. It is opposed by the No Way! group - http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/shrewsfoe/nowaynews.htm. Shropshire County Council are controversially applying to the Transport Innovation Fund to fund this scheme.

Durham Northern Bypass - This scheme will affect historic buildings, ancient woodland, and the Valley of the Wear. It is opposed by the Save Our Valley group - http://www.savethevalley.org.uk. Durham County Council are also applying to the TIF.

Heysham M6 Link - This scheme would cut through Green Belt land, and 1,074 homes are situated less than 200 metres away from the road. The scheme is opposed by Transport Solutions for Lancaster and Morecambe - http://heyshamm6link.info/. A Major Scheme Business Case bid for approval and funding has gone to government.

Brownhills Bypass - This road would destroy the Green Belt around Stonnall, near Walsall and is opposed by Stonall Campaign Against Roads (SCAR). See http://www.stoptheroads.co.uk/ . A bid for approval and funding has also gone to government for this scheme.

Norwich Northern Distributor Road - this road will run through open countryside, in order to open it up for major housing and airport development. It is opposed by the No N25 campaign. See http://www.norwichn25.org/.

Kingskerswell Bypass - This road scheme would destroy stunning Devonshire countryside, and open up land for development. It is opposed by the Kingskerswell Bypass - http://www.kingskerswellalliance.org.uk/.

It is possible that the final version of the Greater Bristol joint LTP2 could include the South Bristol Ring Road and the A36 / A46 Link in Bath, both of which are very controversial, and were included in the GOSW commissioned Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study (GBSTS) by Atkins.

Road schemes, proposed by local authorities, not private developers, by region:

 

EAST 17
EAST MIDLANDS 19
NORTH EAST 8
NORTH WEST 16
SOUTH EAST 13
SOUTH WEST 15
YORK & HUMBER 13
TOTAL 101


There are also 19 developer funded road schemes.

However, 24 local authorities are not proposing any Major Schemes.

Notes to Editors:

 

(1) A list of the road schemes, and notes from the telephone calls to all 83 authorities is available on the road schemes page.