MARCHING FOR CITY’S TREES
Pop star leads the way in protest against council
PULP FRONTMAN Jarvis Cocker returned to Sheffield to join tree protesters in a march to the City Hall.
Rain did not stop hundreds of people descending on the city centre in support of the campaign to stop controversial tree felling by Sheffield City Council.
Speaking at Saturday’s march, singer Jarvis Cocker said: “It’s great. It’s made me feel very proud of Sheffield. I don’t spend as much time as I used to in Sheffield, but I’m saluting you.
“Chopping down trees at 4am is a little bit surreptitious.
“You’re obviously not sure if what you’re doing is right. I do think it’s a situation that requires communication from both sides.”
Private contractor Amey is carrying out the work as part of Sheffield Council’s Streets Ahead programme, a city-wide road improvement project.
It claims the trees earmarked for felling have been classed as dead, diseased or causing damage or obstruction.
But BBC Countryfile’s Rob McBride told the protesters: “This is the worst case of urban tree destruction on the planet. The tree-felling in this city is random. It’s indiscriminate. The council are out of their depth with the contract. Egos and reputations are stalling progress in this city. We will win. We will save the trees.”
Brian Mosley, of Wadsley, Sheffield, helped to organise the march, and is one of the founders of the Sheffield Action For Trees (SHAFT) campaign groups.
The 51-year-old said: “I’m very pleased with the turnout. We’ve got so many different kinds of people here to support us and to try and save the trees.
“This is just the start. We’re here to give people information about Amey, about the council contract so people } across Sheffield know what’s going on.”