Bristol LibDems to defy their own anti-road building policies
Written by Pete Goodwin Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Bristol's Liberal Democrat Cabinet is set to approve a bid to build a major new road through South Bristol - despite their own party policy.
That's what Bristol South Green Party will remind the Cabinet on Thursday.
Cabinet is being asked to approve a funding bid for a new road between Hengrove and the Long Ashton Bypass, proposed by the West of England Partnership. The route has been on the drawing board for years as the South Bristol Ring Road, or Link, creating a new orbital route that will split the south of the city. The Executive Member for Transport, Jon Rogers, has already already voted for it as a member of the Joint West of England Transport Executive.
The Liberal Democrats nationally say that they "will not proceed with new major road-building schemes unless the benefits are clear, including environmental and safety factors, and based on a full assessment of alternative public transport schemes"
Green Party spokesman Peter Goodwin said:
"The studies promised by LibDems have not been carried out. We know, though, that in environmental and social terms this road would be very destructive, carving through South Bristol's local communities and green belt alike. All in the hope of saving airport passengers and North Somerset commuters a few minutes (at best) of journey time."
"This shows where the LibDems' priorities really lie. Too often, their green policies are just a masquerade, not to actually change anything.
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Postscript: The Cabinet unanimously approved the South Bristol Link bid as expected. Unusually, the Green party statement did provoke immediate reaction from Cabinet members. Cllr Jon Rogers claimed that the 'eco checklist' appended to the on-line officers' report constitutes an environmental assessment. All speakers claimed that this is not a Ring Road (even though it completes the through route from the A3170 Long Ashton bypass in the SW to the A4 Bath Road and beyond in the south-east) and is at heart a public transport system. Cllr Mark Wright helped the meeting along with the observation that roads are essential, explaining that you can't carry a 6-tonne sack of sand on a bus. |
Notes:
1. The full statement to Cabinet, outlining the Green Party opposition to the scheme and the reasons for it, is here
2. National LibDem policy is on their website here. Relevant paragraph is "Cut Lorry Traffic, Reduce Pollution". Ho Ho!
Contact:
Peter Goodwin, 01275 543280