Alliance against road building

PRESS RELEASE – 28th July 2006

ROAD BLOCK SUPPORTS THE ENVIRONMENT WATCHDOGS

In response to the news that the government plans to cut back on the budgets for the new Natural England environmental watchdog, Rebecca Lush the Coordinator of Road Block, the alliance against roadbuilding said:

"The statutory environmental bodies charged with protected our biodiversity, wildlife and landscapes perform a vital role. However, they are already struggling to cope with the scrutiny needed for the vast numbers of road schemes the government are approving. Whilst the government has approved over £12 billion of road schemes, it is squeezing funds for wildlife like never before. We are horrified to learn that Natural England's budget is going to be cut before it is even officially launched in October. Our wildlife is increasingly under threat from roadbuilding with over 200 schemes costing £12 billion now approved and more waiting in the wings. The environmental watchdogs need increased budgets to do their vital work, not cuts."

In a private letter to Environment Minister David Miliband, Sir Martin Doughty, the chairman of Natural England, warns: "The scale of these cuts risks the wheels coming off the organisation before it even reaches October's launchpad."

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article1199360.ece

Notes to Editors:

Costs of approved schemes were provided in a Written Answer to Chris Grayling MP on 24 May 2006. The TPI programme costs £10,323 million, the LTP programme costs £1,703 million, and the CIF programme costs £81.96 million = £12.108 billion
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm060524/text/60524w0554.htm

Tables showing the costs can be seen here: http://www.roadblock.org.uk/roadschemes.htm