Press Release
Embargo: 0001hrs, Monday 14 July 2003
Protestors Camp to Stay
Despite the Government announcement not to proceed with major road building at Arundel, Chichester, Fontwell and Worthing. SCAR announced today that the campaign to stop the A27 being turned into a superhighway will continue.
Following the Governments decision, Ian Brookes for SCAR said: "We admit to have been taken by surprise. All the signals we received over the past months indicated that the massive road building programme across the Sussex countryside would be approved. Of course in not proceeding, we would like to think that the Government had the environment at heart. In reality I suspect they knew they had a major battle on their hands and with the cost of the schemes rocketing - as more and more protestors camps were built - the roads would be poor value for money".
Ian Brookes continued: "Naturally we welcome the announcement, however this and previous Governments have done u-turns and frankly we distrust them all. A classic was John Prescott's 'No more roads' speech soon after the 1997 election, no sooner had he sat down there was the threat of the damaging Hastings bypass scheme. Let this be heard loud and clear. SCAR will not be disbanding and the protestors camp in woods at Tortington Common will stay. For all we know there may be a different government in two years time with a policy of building an M27 through the ancient woods and across the Downs".
Finally Ian Brookes said: "Clearly West Sussex County Council and their road building supporters must be disappointed by the announcement. However we see this as an opportunity to work together in the common cause of reducing traffic and seeing how the existing roads infrastructure can be used in smarter ways".
~ENDS~
Note for Editors.
There's further information for you to use on the Arundel issue at: www.scar-uk.co.uk/arundel.htm
South Coast Against Roadbuilding (SCAR) was formed in 1994, as an
umbrella group to local groups fighting the threat of more road building. Many
of our groups support non-violent direct action and were at Twyford Down,
Newbury and the A30.