Roads programme crumbles but
Governent fudges M6 widening
Despite claiming victory as the roads programme was drastically reduced in the region, West Midlands FOE said the Government should not have fudged axing the controversial and expensive widenings of the M6 and M42 by putting them on the back burner. They welcomed plans to drop the Hereford bypass. FoE say the decision to investigate the M6 corridor further should concentrate on alternatives, such as the West Coast Mainline, consistent with the aim of reducing traffic levels set out in the recently produced White Paper. FoE say continued uncertainty about the widenings increases the time that local people have to live under the shadow of a massive road building project bringing misery and blight to local communities already experiencing the problems of noise and pollution from the existing road
Gerald Kells of West Midlands Friends of the Earth said
"The government has realised that we cannot go on building more and more roads. This is fantastic news. They should bite the bullet as soon as possible and finally scrap the motorway widening programme. This fudge prolongs the misery endured by the communities living along side the proposed superhighway."
CONTACTS
Gerald Kells Friends of the Earth West Midlands Transport Campaign: 01922 636601
FOE Midlands Press Office: 0121 643 9117
Notes
The Government’s roads review was announced today in the House of Commons by transport minister Dr John Reid
The M6 widening scheme from Junctions 11 to 19 is estimated by the Government to cost £623 million.