Birmingham Friends of the Earth West Midlands Transport Campaign

BNRR Summary November 1999

Ever since the M6, or before, ploughed its way through the West Midlands conurbation, the road building civil servants, local business and politicians, have been plotting to build a route north of the conurbation. Such was the popularity of motorways in the 1960's that local authorities wanted superhighways right up to the front door. This explains the M6 and Aston Expressways of today. Houses, schools, pubs, churches, community centres and more, were all destroyed as the tarmac was laid down. No doubt there were great celebrations as Spaghetti Junction and the Midland Link motorways were opened in the early seventies. It was all part of the Department of Road Building, er sorry Transport's (DoT) plan to changed the face of Britain. Not only were we covering the landscape in roads, we were at the same time closing down mile upon mile of railway. Like so much of 60's planning it was civil service led, and both main parties were guilty of the same crime against the people of this country.

The BNRR along with a western orbital motorway and the M42, was intended to create an orbital motorway system for the West Midlands. London was already building one, so was Manchester, so why not the West Midlands. The route would be entirely in the Green Belt, following roughly the lines of the A446, the A38 and the A5, leaving the M6 near Coleshill, and rejoining it near Cannock.

Of course one big problem for the DoT was money, so the road building program had to be phased. Once the M6 was opened and had to fill up with traffic, as it surely would do, the BNRR was put to the bottom of the list . So it wasn't until the late seventies that the DoT produced plans for a new road in the West Midlands. A public inquiry followed in [1988] which found heavily in favour of building the road, [mainly because no one thought they could successfully oppose it]. However, the Conservative government was facing increasing pressure on its finances, and the cost of this road was going through the roof, while at the same time the public's appetite for taxes was diminishing.

A plan was produced to build the new motorway with private capital, recouping the cost from fees payed at toll booths. This would get the government off it's tax hook, and allow its friends in business to earn revenue from their investment, for taking whatever risk might be involved. This made the first public inquiry void, and a new round of consultations had to take place. However a massive mood change had swept through the general public and academics alike. People were challenging roads and calling for railways to be reopened. There were demands for better bus services and better facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and the less able. People were asking if roads were good for the economy, the environment and our social well being. [The answer that kept coming back was no, they just make matters worse.] The DoT were caught on the back foot. They did not have the answers. More and more people joined green pressure groups, and formed community groups, to protest against new roads. Over 10,000 people objected to the BNRR toll road. All of the communities along the route objected. The longest public inquiry into a road scheme ever in this country, ran from June 1994 to October 1995.

This campaign had political influence. In 1992 Francis Maude was dumped out of North Warwickshire by Mike O' Brien on a no BNRR ticket. Pro BNRR MP's lost significant chunks out of their majorities. A bye election saw Brian Jenkins romp home on a no BNRR ticket. Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council followed by Warwickshire County Council and North Warwickshire Borough Council and eventually in1994 Birmingham City Council all passed resolutions opposing the BNRR. Then on 21st September 1994 the Labour party in the person of Frank Dobson, declared its opposition to the BNRR while on a visit to North Warwickshire, to see the route of the proposed road for himself. So in April 1997 after years of hard campaigning, a General Election approached, with the party ahead at the Polls committed not to build the BNRR. The campaign was on a high. The Tories had not dared to make a decision, with Twyford Down, Newbury and Manchester Airport on its hands. Numerous declarations of No BNRR were made in the run up to the election. A mood of change and "things are going to get better" came over the air waves. However once in power the Labour Part quickly went back on its word, when on 28th July 1997 less than three full months into the parliament, Gavin Strang announced that Midland Expressway should proceed with the BNRR, and bring it on stream as quickly as possible. [They claimed this wasn't a u-turn, saying to supporters they always really wanted the road, and to opponents that they couldn't get out of the contract.]

So in the Winter of 1999 how have they progressed? Not very well. Public opposition to this road is still high. MEL are now owned by an Italian toll road operator and an Australian investment bank. They have no money to speak of and [still] have to raise £700 million at the latest estimate. [Given that some of the Italian company's other toll roads have spent the last few years lurching from one financial crisis to another, and given the losses made on other infrastructure projects like the Channel Tunnel, not to mention the cancellation of motorway widenings needed to service the BNRR, investors may be reluctant to cough up.] Increasingly it looks as if the scheme is being propped up by tax payers money. At the last count £40 million of tax payers money was committed to the scheme. If they do get the money and start construction in January 2000, the road will not be open until at least 2003. At least five years late from the first estimates in the early nineties. Campaigners meanwhile, risked everything in a legal case, trying to expose details of the secret deal between MEL and the government, that not even the inspector at the public inquiry was allowed to see. [A judge has said we should be abel to see part of it, but the government is dragging its heals]. So much for freedom of information and open government. However anyone can ask to see it, so why not write John Prescott a letter, e-mail or fax asking him when he's going to obey the law and give us sight of the concession agreement.