6th Mar 2006

M1 Widening - The Wrong Track

Up to 10 protestors from the Green Party attended when the Highways agency came to Hemel Hempstead last Saturday at the Adeyfield Community Centre for a public exhibition on the widening of the M1 from the M25 to Luton.

DGP Press Release Monday 6th March 2006:

Up to 10 protestors from the Green Party attended when the Highways agency came to Hemel Hempstead last Saturday at the Adeyfield Community Centre in the Queens Square with a public exhibition on the widening of the M1 from the M25 to Luton.

Councillor Alan Johnson spoke with many of the hundreds of residents who bought their concerns on the details of the 2-year project to the exhibition.

He said "We cannot ignore the issue of climate change, more bigger roads are not the solution and never will be. 25% more traffic on the M1 leads to far more traffic on the already congested roads leading through Hemel Hempstead up to the motorway.

The Highways Agency are spending £298million on this scheme but many felt that the measures to help the environment in this project were little more than a very small token effort with chopped down trees already littering the motorway sides.

Helen Batchelor of Cleves Road was typical in expressing her concerns of the widened motorway now getting even closer to the burnt out fuel depot at Buncefield and questioned the 2 lane widening of the old M10 soon to be moved north of Junction 8 possible to serve a re-built Buncefield.

Contacts:

Cllr Alan Johnson 01442 253945

www.nowideningm1.org.uk www.nowideningm1.org.uk

The Highways Agency information line 08457 504030 or www.highways.gov.uk