WORK to stop the proposed A21 six-lane dual carriageway across
Castle
Hill gathered momentum on Tuesday with the second meeting of the Stop
The
Road pressure group. Campaigners are compiling their response to the
Department
of the Environment, Transport, and the Regions consultation document on
plans to upgrade the A21 with a new stretch of road between Tonbridge
and
the Pembury bypass. The consultation document is part of the search for
the Government's white paper on an integrated transport strategy for
Britain
due to be published in the spring. "Our main aim is to stop the
six-lane
trunk road from being built. The secondary aim is to consider
alternatives,"
said Andrew Lohmann, Southborough town councillor and founder member of
the group. He added it would be putting forward a range of alternatives
from a more modest widening scheme to improvements in rail transport.
Opponents
to the new road, which has been put on hold by the Government while it
carries out the review have a string of objections. These range from
environmental
concerns about the irreversible scar it would create on the landscape
to
pollution worries and the view that to carry on building roads is not
the
answer. Working with similar pressure groups from Brighton and
Hastings,
who are also affected by road widening plans, Stop the Road will have
the
consultation documents in by the November 14 deadline. Mr Lohmann said
new members were welcome to join the group which meets at the Baden
Powell
Hall, Andrew Road, High Brooms, on Tuesday evenings. For further
information
contact Andrew Lohmann at 25, Andrew Road, High Brooms, Tunbridge
Wells,
or on 542471
Last changed; 14/09/09, 12/08/09