A57 LINK ROADS Judicial Review Challenge

A57 LINK ROADS JUDICIAL REVIEW CHALLENGE

Help stop the attack on the Peak District National Park – on the Greater Manchester Green Belt, and on the climate.

The eastern half of the proposed dual carriageway Mottram bypass (red line on photo) as it leaves the underpass on the left-hand side of the picture and descends to meet Mottram Moor on the right-hand side of picture.

The A57 Link Roads on the eastern edge of Greater Manchester have been given the go-ahead by Mark Harper, the Secretary of State for Transport, despite all the damage they would do.  The only way to stop them is through a legal challenge.

Harm to Greater Manchester Green Belt

The A57 Link Roads’ dual and single carriageways would invade and split up the Green Belt, encouraging sprawling infill housing development around Mottram and Hollingworth – a proposal for 600-700 houses on Green Belt land was presented to the examination into the scheme.

Harm and increasing threat to the nation’s first National Park

The proposed Link Roads would increase traffic through the Peak District National Park, harming public enjoyment of its landscapes and tranquillity. Even worse, it is likely to be the start of dualling the A628 through Longdendale. Plans are already in the pipeline. For decades CPRE has fought to protect beautiful Longdendale from development and increased traffic.

Worsening traffic conditions in Glossop

If the Link Roads go ahead, Glossop would see increased congestion, accidents and rat running on residential streets. Even National Highways has admitted ‘this scheme does not do anything to relieve congestion in Glossop but attracts more traffic along the A57.’

No relief for the villages of Tintwistle and Hollingworth

It will do nothing to relieve the noise, pollution and intimidation which blights the lives of the people who live along the trunk road through Hollingworth and Tintwistle, where lorries thunder past their doorsteps, rattling their windows.

Increased climate emissions – code red for humanity

The scheme would emit thousands of tons of carbon dioxide. Yet we are in a climate and nature emergency when emissions need to reduce urgently. In response to an IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report the United Nations has called the climate emergency ‘a code red for humanity’, stating that we need immediate action to cut carbon emissions if we are to avert catastrophe.

There is a solution

CPRE’s report ‘Low Carbon Travel for Longdendale and Glossopdale’, prepared by a highly respected transport professional, shows how to address the traffic and pollution issues without creating all of the harm and would improve people’s lives and wellbeing, and the environment. It includes an area-wide weight restriction across the Peak District for heavy lorries, coupled with improvements for walking cycling and buses, and could be implemented for a fraction of the cost of the scheme. We strongly believe this proposal should be trialled before any increase in road capacity.

What we’re doing

We are challenging the decision made by the Department of Transport’s Secretary of State, Mark Harper, to consent the scheme. The case questions the government’s unlawful approach of allowing large road schemes to go ahead without assessing the cumulative impact of carbon emissions, and of failing to consider alternatives which would avoid harming the Green Belt, the National Park and the climate.

We’ve filed our claim with the High Court, which will decide whether to grant us permission to proceed. If it grants permission, we will have a full court hearing to discuss the merits of our case.

How we’re doing this

If we are to stop this scheme going ahead, we need your help to pay our legal fees. Solicitors and barristers who specialise in environmental law have been instructed in our case. They have kindly agreed to work for us at a hugely discounted rate but we need to raise substantial sums.

We cannot do this without your support. Please visit our crowdfunding page on CrowdJustice fundraising site and give what you can afford, share the link around your friends and networks – and accept our heartfelt thanks for all your support.