Press Releases 2021 (download)

SWL Campaign

Press Release

24 June 2022

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Norfolk County Council has now released its agenda and supporting documents in advance of the Cabinet meeting on 4 July.

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Iain Robinson (Woodland Owner) says:

“Despite the spin Norfolk County Council tries to put on it,  the road if built will result in an immediate and  devastating  reduction in Norfolk’s inter-dependant population of  highly rare barbastelle bats.  A population recognised by the Council’s own surveyors and one which remains the subject of world wide interest. Death and injury cannot be avoided and it's important that the public is not misled into believing the installation of a ‘green bridge’ will be the answer to this insurmountable hurdle.   The truth is there is no cost effective solution.     The only way of preserving this prized colony for the benefit of generations to come is for the road to be scrapped.  ”

 

David Pett (Stop Wensum Link) says:

‘Yet another example of our county council operating on a completely different planet to everyone else.  It’s insulting to the Norfolk public to seek to justify such an obscene increase in the project cost at a time when many people are worrying about increasing fuel and other living costs.  Whilst other councils are suspending infrastructure projects for this very reason Norfolk County Council  seems determined to sacrifice the future of essential services to fund what has clearly become a politically driven vanity project.   The time has come to pull the plug and to pull it quickly before this council’s credibility is lost completely.’

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Campaigners from Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex have signed a joint statement calling for greener priorities in Transport East’s 30-year plan.

31st January 2022

The campaigners want to see a transport plan that actually delivers on the green vision set out in the Transport East consultation[1].  They seek a strategy that:

1.      prioritises funding for cycling, walking and public transport;
2.      puts a freeze on new carbon-emitting, traffic-inducing road-building;
3.      addresses current transport needs rather than ‘unlocking’ thousands of new homes through road-building;
4.      takes into account the problems and benefits of different transport approaches. These should include health problems and costs to the NHS caused by air pollution and traffic noise, and benefits such as lower healthcare costs for active populations who cycle and walk regularly.

Suffolk quote:

“It is disappointing that Transport East is perpetuating, in projects selected, the Government line that growth, specifically housing growth along major roads, is good.  They have repeatedly said they want to reach zero carbon by 2030.  Their proposed strategy, as part of Transport East, contains lots of fancy words about sustainable goals but look closely and the proposed actions and spending are mainly about road building to encourage more driving, more use of airports and more house building.”    Cllr, Robert Lindsay, deputy leader of the Green, LibDem, Independent Group on Suffolk County Council Council.

Essex quote:

“Transport East’s consultation starts with all the right words, but when you delve into the projects that are proposed, it’s clear that its more of the same:  road-based growth.  What the region desperately requires is a plan that moves away from road-building and focuses on an integrated rural and urban public transport service and safe cycling routes for school children and commuters.  That, perhaps funded by workplace charging, as introduced with great success in Nottingham, will be the only way that we can cut carbon emissions and improve air quality for the people of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.”   Rosie Pearson, Campaigner, Essex.

Norfolk quote:

“In Norfolk, road-building has dominated transport planning for decades.  Now that is taking us ever further from the net zero target and destroying ecosystems and blighting communities with noise and air pollution.  While it is good to see some very positive goals in Transport East's 30-year strategy, the reality is that still far too much emphasis is being placed on building roads to support car-based travel.  It is important to realise that electric cars are not the solution to our problems. They further encourage road-building, do nothing to prevent congestion and encourage urban sprawl instead of walkable communities."  Andrew Boswell, former Norfolk County Councillor and campaigner

Signed by

•  Cllr James Abbott, leader of the Green & Independent Group on Braintree District Council

•  Dr Andrew Boswell, Independent Scientist & Consultant, Norfolk

• Cllr Jan Davis, Group Leader of the Greens on Broadland District Council  Cllr.Jan.Davis@southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk

• Dr Pallavi Devulapalli, West Norfolk Green Party d_pallavi@hotmail.com

• Colne Stour Countryside Association

• Lisa Cross, campaigner and Green Party member.

• Alistair Daw, Billericay Action Group, Essex

• Edward Gildea, Uttlesford Green Party

• Cllr, Robert Lindsay, deputy leader of the Green, LibDem, Independent Group on Suffolk County Council 

• Andrea Luxford-Vaughan, Mayor of Wivenhoe and Colchester Borough Councillor

• Rebekah McGrane, Campaigner, Essex

• Rosie Pearson, Planning & Environmental campaigner, Essex

• Cllr Tim Regester, Campaigner, Suffolk

• Trisha Roberts, Campaigner

• Dr Iain Robinson on behalf of Wensum Woodlanders, Norfolk

• Michael Staines, Campaigner & Independent Candidate, Essex

• Cllr Paul Thorogood, Green Party, Essex

• Cllr Lucy Galvin Leader Green Party Group Norwich City Council l.galvin@cllr.Norwich.gov.uk

• Cllr Ben Price Leader Green Party Group Norfolk County Council Ben.price.cllr@norfolk.gov.uk

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Rosie Pearson
Chair & Co-Founder
Community Planning Alliance
stopurbansprawlnow@gmail.com
https://www.communityplanningalliance.org/