PRESS RELEASE: Campaigners demand meeting with Grant Shapps, as still no response on involvement in Government's Ox-Cam Expressway 'priority review’

CAMPAIGNERS DEMAND MEETING WITH GRANT SHAPPS, AS STILL NO RESPONSE ON INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT’S OX-CAM EXPRESSWAY ‘PRIORITY REVIEW’

The leading campaign group opposing the construction of the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway and associated one million new homes – the ‘No Expressway Group’ (NEG) -  has today written an open letter to the Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps, demanding an urgent meeting before the general election to discuss the recently announced ‘priority review’ into the road, NEG’s request to be part of any such review and that this should be extended to include the one million houses target to 2050. 

NEG is seeking this meeting as, after almost two weeks, it has still had no response to its letter of 22nd November, despite speaking with Grant Shapps constituency office and this matter being raised by them directly with his Chief of Staff, Nicholas Langley, on 29th November.

NEG spokesperson Olivia Field said, ‘this is a key issue to a great many voters in the general election and it is disappointing not to have the importance of this scheme and proposed review recognised by Grant Shapps.  I was assured that our letter and request would be raised urgently and given appropriate attention.  However, having still had no contact at all, we must now meet with Grant Shapps as a matter of urgency, to ensure he really understands the issues and concerns involved, and to agree how NEG will be involved in any Ox-Cam Expressway review.’

Ms Field added ‘43 out of 98 parliamentary candidates from all parties in the 20 constituencies along the Oxford - Cambridge Arc clearly see the scheme’s problems and understand the deep concerns of their communities, as they’ve already pledged their support for NEG’s campaign to abandon plans for both the Ox-Cam Expressway and hugely over-inflated housing target for the Arc.  Voters can see who’s pledged support in each constituency on our website noexpressway.org’

NEG are continuing to urge people not to see the Government’s announcement as ‘game over’.  It’s not.  It’s vital that as many local people as possible make their voice heard by supporting NEG at www.noexpressway.org where they can sign a petition to demand the Government abandons plans for the Ox-Can Expressway and associated over inflated housing targets.

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NOTES TO THE EDITOR

You can see NEG’s letter to Grant Shapps here.

The Oxford to Cambridge Expressway scheme is based on the idea of opening-up the countryside for development of an aspirational target of one million new homes by 2050.  The National Infrastructure Commission 5th Studio Report shows a split by both region and type of housing across the Arc.  The target includes ‘unlocked’ homes enabled by the Expressway, London commuter homes and those in Local Authority plans. We agree more housing is needed, but not >100% growth in Oxon & 65% growth in affected areas of Bucks by 2050 (compared with the 16% predicted for the nation as a whole, by the Office of National Statistics).  All those homes need infrastructure: schools, clinics, hospitals, water and electricity supplies, waste and sewage disposal etc.  e.g., one form entry primary school is required for every 800 new houses.  That’s 1,250 such schools across the Arc for those one million new houses by 2050.  Developers. make only minimal contributions to the real cost of infrastructure, which is ultimately borne by the Government, or by tax- and rate-payers.

England has destroyed 97% of its wildflower meadows since the 1930s and more ancient woodlands in the forty years after WWII than in the previous 400 years. How much more destruction can our environment take without catastrophic declines in our life support systems?  

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The NO EXPRESSWAY GROUP believes that there is NO need for an Oxford-Cambridge Expressway, nor the over-inflated housing targets associated with it, and we will actively campaign against it and support the many other organisations with the same objectives.

Our environment is a national asset which should be protected for all us, our health and well-being. This is a national and not just a local issue and we will continue strive to educate people about the threats to our countryside posed by the planned Expressway and its associated housing and development. We will fight to protect our countryside and its wildlife for the health and enjoyment of all future generations.