To the "North Wales Motorway!"
"One Wales -Connecting The Nation!"
Welsh Minister for Transport announces major review of ALL transport policies! Click for details..
"We ...need to work with the people of Wales if we are to improve the overall quality of life and opportunities without damaging the environment that we all value" ...Ieuan Wyn Jones April 2008.
...it's back to the drawing board as Assembly Minister ditches controversial A494 highway scheme. Inquiry inspector says a big "NO" to plans ...and Welsh Transport Minister agrees! Press report here.
To view Minister's decision letter click here To view Inquiry Inspector's 198 page REPORT click here
requires "Acrobat Reader" + a bit of patience!
STOP PRESS! from Wales BMA received today from Dr Richard Lewis (Welsh Secretary)
[BMA Wales are ....] "currently in the process of drafting the legislation which would enable Wales to put Health Impact Assessments in planning applications for schemes like the A55 road improvement [Ewloe to Northop phase] on a statutory basis" Thank you Dr Lewis!
North Wales AMs at Cardiff showing solidarity against the format of Transport Wales proposals for the A494 "Motorway". A BIG THANK YOU to North Wales AM's!
"This is a time when we can look forward to a great future for our railways. Devolution helps us deliver because we now have unprecedented powers to plan and implement a 21st century rail service for Wales, and develop a first-class, integrated transport system vital for a vibrant Welsh economy as well as a greener world." If YOU share our concerns about ANY plans by officials at Transport Wales to push through any large-scale proposals for yet more polluting tarmac and concrete whilst they -and our local authorities- do nothing to appraise the long-term health of our young folk from the consequences, then PLEASE contact your local councillors, MPs and Assembly Members NOW -and let them know just how you feel! To find out WHO represents YOU -and send them an urgent message- CLICK HERE HELP US! The content is for the benefit of ALL the ordinary folk who live in and love this wonderful land -and who want to see North Wales and its peace-loving, law-abiding "Gogs", remain a healthy, place for generations yet to be born. To contact: Welsh Consumer Council report (March 19) on effectiveness of community action sites like this oneclick here More details from time to time on website www.tinyurl.com/26j8ar | Who we are -and what do we do? The TW proposals would have made a local road, effectively eleven lanes wide in parts -and would have triggered the lifting of the existing 50mph speed constraint. We believe, that at a time of increasing concern for sustainability and effects of climate change, there can be no justification constructing, yet more massive highways. Any short-term relieve would be lost as more traffic was induced and future generations would be pay a heavy price in loss of amenity and traffic pollution in, what at present is a lovely part of Britain. From the outset, Transport Wales has admitted that their proposals will INCREASE CO2 emissions by 14% -yet they still refer to them as an "Improvement". What are the issues? Data released only in January 2008 by the Department for Transport has pitifully under-estimated future fuel costs and the implications for likely car use and traffic growth. The official premise for projected growth that has been the basis of much of the proposer's case must surely now be considered to be seriously flawed. What have the objectors achieved so far? The inspector's findings and recommendations and the consequent decision by the Assembly Transport Minister, were published 26 March 2008 and resulted in the proposals being unreservedly rejected! At the highest levels of the Welsh Assembly Government there is now the realisation that further augmentation of road transport in Wales is a political "hot-topic" -and one that, unless issues of justification, consultation and transparency are addressed, will blight the whole ethos of the Assembly. What sort of support have we experienced from established politicians? How do we gain campaign awareness and retain public interest? Our campaign has been heard around the world! It has featured on radio stations throughout Wales, UK and North America. The results of our efforts to make Health Impact Assessment (HIA) an implicit feature of all proposals such as this have been the subject of a government sponsored, Downing Street petition and are at the present being closely followed as far afield as Australia/New Zealand. We have an extensive new-media archive of interviews with politicians, councillors and dozens of ordinary folk. We have audio/video records made at numerous public meetings -including a complete record of the Local Public Inquiry. This material is at present being compiled for future reference and historical interest and will be deposited at the National Library of Wales in due course. Future plans? |