NEWS: MK Citizen January 14, 2019
Anti Oxford-to-Cambridge expressway campaigners unconvinced by Milton Keynes Council’s “de facto opposition” policy
MK Citizen reports “A council both opposes AND conditionally supports plans for a new expressway road that could slice through Milton Keynes countryside, depending on how the policy is looked at.
“Council leader Cllr Pete Marland (Lab, Woverton) “said “The de facto policy is to oppose the expressway because of the high bar we have set.” The council is insisting on Highways England meeting four key points as the price of its support.
“These are: high quality cycle infrastructure, a strong commitment to wildlife and biodiversity, a strong commitment to public transport, and that an electrified East-West Rail line is opened before any expressway.
The report says that on 13th January “the cabinet came under pressure from a councillor and nine members of the public to join other councils in the area and announce outright opposition.
“But campaigners were having none of it.
“A No Expressway Group has been set up in Woburn Sands to raise public awareness of what they see as a threat as the new road winds from south of Bletchley through to M1 junction 13 at Brogborough.
“Cllr David Hopkins (Cons, Danesborough & Walton) wants MK Council to fall in line with neighbouring councils “no ifs, no buts” and oppose. He said “The threat blights the whole of south and east Milton Keynes. It is time to end the uncertainty and send a clear message to government,”
Cllr David Hopkins will table a motion for the full MK Council to debate and vote on on Wednesday 22nd January.
Concerns were also raised that MK had signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement with Highways England. MK Council thought it would be better to be in the know and represent MK citizens. But have they every asked the people of MK what they think?
You can read the full report here.
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