We will battle on, say campaigners
THEY AIM TO HALT £250M A38 JUNCTION SCHEME
A GOVERNMENT decision to give the go-ahead to a £250 million project to improve junctions on the A38 at Derby has met with anger from protesters.
They say it will effectively turn the section of the A38 from Little Eaton island though to Kingsway island into “a motorway, encouraging more traffic and increasing pollution”.
Construction will take up to four years and will expand the A38 to three lanes of traffic each way, with two underpasses and a flyover.
The objectors say that the project involves felling hundreds of mature trees, removing public green spaces and destroying wildlife habitats.
Green groups argue that the expansion prioritises cars over the need to protect the public from pollution, fight climate change and protect wildlife.
Godfrey Meynell, a 56-year-old farmer, said: “Given that we know that courts recently ruled that Ella [Adoo-Kissi-Debrah], a child in London, died from air pollution and that air pollution levels will go up during the building phase of the expansion I believe it would be unfair on residents, and possible criminally and morally wrong, for the city council to allow the works to go ahead.
“During the construction, increased congestion will lead to more traffic chaos, causing misery for local residents. Public transport timetables will be also be affected and many Derby businesses are concerned about the impact of the construction, which could even lead to job losses.”
Colleen Pratt, a grandmother who lives in Allestree, said she had lived close to Markeaton Park for more than 40 years.
She said: “My children grew up enjoying the nature, wildlife and recreational facilities there. I now have two small grandchildren who take the same pleasure in the natural habitats of birds, squirrels and other wildlife. It grieves me that the A38 expansion will have a devastating impact on the park and will prevent future generations making the special memories that we have made.
“In recent years I have seen green space continually eroded in the area due to development and recent events should show us that we need this space more than ever.”
And retired Derby hospital consultant Christian Murray-Leslie, said: “Building new roads induces more traffic over time and at a time of climate emergency is ultimately futile as the new roads become as congested as the roads they were designed to relieve.
“This is clearly shown on a daily basis by the M1, and more remotely the M25, and many examples overseas. Continually building new roads works against our climate commitments and endangers all our futures.”
At the weekend, masked members of Extinction Rebellion Derby held up banners at the three junctions.
A spokesman for the Stop the A38 Expansion Alliance said: “We are very disappointed with this decision – there are already legal challenges against the Department for Transport on its road programme and we will be examining the documentation around this scheme very carefully to see if this can be added to the list.”
In the Secretary of State’s letter giving consent, he said he noted the concerns raised about “the loss of veteran tree T358 on the east side of the A38 carriageway close to the Markeaton footbridge due to the replacement of this footbridge impinging further in the root protection area and encroaching into the tree canopy area”.
But he “considers that the national need for, and benefits of, the proposed development clearly outweigh the loss of the veteran tree”.