I am saddened by what I perceive as the lack of momentum in our environmental movement in this city (London), and in this country as a whole. As exemplified by the fact of hardly any Londoners attending the Combe Haven Operation Disclosure action at the DfT yesterday. These amazing people mostly traveled in from outside London and are standing outside the DfT all day today as well (Tuesday 9th April). They're there in the freezing cold and rain, their presence totalling 18 hours over 2 days of pure shining dedication that breaks my heart. They are trying to get disclosure of redacted documents that could make or break the case for the Bexhill Hasting link road the first and worst of Osbournes 192 new road schemes. (http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/campaigns/roads-to-nowhere)
Where is our environmental movement which used to be so strong and vibrant? We seem to have spread out and dissipated, dedicating ourselves in recent years to many different causes, expanding outside of environmental activism to all sorts of other issues, achieving amazing things and highlighting so many disgusting injustices in our financial systems, and other very worthy causes… Yet this massive new roadbuilding scheme with 192 roads in total spread all over the UK marks the dawning of a new era of environmental campaigning, and we all need to wake up NOW… If this new batch of road schemes succeeds it’s incredibly bad news for our climate, our dwindling areas of natural beauty and ecological significance, our health, and our exonomy.
So if you have a lunchbreak today, or any spare time whatsoever, bring the intrepid crew at the DfT some tea, cake or hugs. Show your solidarity! This is happening NOW in OUR city, and we can so easily show our support. You don't need to go down to Combe Haven this time to do it!
Yes, this isn’t as eyecatchng and newsworthy as climbing and occupying chimneys and it’s wonderfully inspiring to see the national and even international attention that the No Dash for Gas action attained. Their action re-focused public attention on the issue of climate change, reminding people that it hasn't gone away, and gave us hope that all is not lost…
But the people outside the DfT today, whilst they aren't in the public eye are nevertheless fighting the same battle. They aren’t NIMBY’s they are pioneers of a new era of anti-roads campaigning, one that many of us hoped would never be necessary again. They are doing this for all of us and when people wake up to the reality of this epic new roadbuilding initiative of Osbournes’ I’m sure that more people will rally to the cause. But will it be in time for the Bexhill Hastings link road? Sadly I have to doubt it…
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