Breadcrumbs
Transport plans save best countryside – 9 July 2003
Similarly proposals in the West Midlands for bypasses of Wolverhampton and Stourbridge have been rejected on environmental grounds.
Brian Wilson, programme director at the Countryside Agency welcomed Transport Minister Alistair Darling’s announcement today (Wednesday 9 July) on future transport plans, saying: “It is clear that the Department for Transport has made real efforts to protect the countryside for future generations. We are delighted that many of the Countryside Agency’s concerns have been addressed in this announcement. But we will still be closely following proposals to widen the sections of the M1 that pass through the Chilterns and South Yorkshire Forest, and to look again at the stretch of the A27 at Beddingham.
“Considering all the available transport options, and using the most effective mix of road and public transport – the multi modal model – is the only way to ensure the best transport decisions are made for rural communities, rural businesses and the countryside. Today’s announcement was helpful in flagging up the need to manage travel habits and improve public transport.” Mr Wilson concluded.
Notes to editors
For further information please contact the Countryside Agency press office on 020 7340 2909/7/6.
The Countryside Agency is the statutory body working to make the quality of life better for people in the countryside and the quality of the countryside better for everyone.
The Sussex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty forms part of the area which will soon be designated as a National Park.
Most of the A27 road scheme was rejected but the exception was an area around Beddingham where proposals would be re-assessed. Beddingham is in a very low lying landscape, a raised road would have significant visual impact over a large area within and beyond the Sussex Downs AONB.
