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Adjournment of M74 public inquiry to be sought following "biased remarks" of First Minister Joint Action against the M74 (JAM74) [1] are to ask for the Public Local Inquiry into the proposed £500 million M74 Northern Extension [2], due to start tomorrow (Monday 1st December), to be adjourned because of biased remarks made by First Minister Jack McConnell in the Parliament last week [4]. JAM74 regards McConnell's remarks to have fundamentally undermined confidence in the perceived fairness of the Executive's planning process. Will Jess, Chair of JAM74, said: "Jack McConnell has displayed bias as a result of his remarks in the Parliament last week. It seems that the result of the inquiry has been decided before the inquiry has even started. How can we be confident that we will receive a fair hearing when the First Minister admits that the Executive has 'committed' itself to the M74. If McConnell only wore the hat of the 'scheme proposer' this would be fair enough; but from the final arbiter of the decision it is unacceptable. "McConnell's statements are tantamount to announcing the result of the inquiry before it has even started. Whilst the public inquiry may continue, we are calling for the First Minister to remove himself from the final decision-making process." JAM74 have previously raised the complaint that the planning process for the M74 is inherently flawed in as much as the developer, the planning authority and the planning inquiry process are all led by the Scottish Executive. A final decision on the project will also be taken by the Scottish Executive. JAM74 regards this process as potentially being in conflict with Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Earlier this week, JAM74 made an official complaint to Transport Minister Nicol Stephen on the handling of the M74 public inquiry. The complaint followed the appointment by the Scottish Executive of a civil servant from one of the road promoters (Glasgow City Council) as Programme Officer for the public inquiry. JAM74 further understands that this civil servant is being paid for by another promoter of the road, the Scottish Executive's trunk roads authority. ENDS Notes to Editors: [1] JAM74 JAM74 is a coalition of community, environmental and sustainable transport groups. Member organisations of JAM74 include Residents Against the M74, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Scottish Association for Public Transport, the Scottish Green Party, the Scottish Socialist Party & TRANSform Scotland. [2] The M74 Northern Extension Since 1999, the Scottish Executive has put in place a £1 billion road-building programme - despite its much-trumpeted commitments to sustainable transport and environmental justice. The most damaging of the Executive's roads projects is GlasgowÕs M74, the largest urban motorway project in Britain, and perhaps in the whole of Europe. The project, five miles of elevated multi-lane motorway slicing through south Glasgow, is a remnant of 1960s-style roads planning. There has never been an independent analysis of alternatives to the M74 despite its vast price tag and major environmental and social impacts. In March 2003, in a note in an Executive press release, it emerged that the project would cost not £250 million (as claimed in 2000), but between £375 million and £500 million. The Public Local Inquiry into the project is due to start on Monday 1st December 2003 at the Parish Hall, 266 George Street, Glasgow (just off George Square). [3] JAM74's objection to the M74 NB: A detailed media briefing is available on request. In brief, JAM74 are objecting to the M74 for the following reasons: * The project is a waste of £375-500 million of public money because it would not reduce congestion levels in Glasgow. (i) * It would devastate already disadvantaged communities and increase traffic levels on radial roads, which would become more dangerous for children and other vulnerable road users. * When most Glasgow households have no access to a car (59%) this is an inequitable use of scarce public resources. The funds should instead be invested in public transport alternatives. * This motorway would generate more traffic, seriously worsening noise levels, the city's toxic air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. (i) Central Scotland Transport Corridor Studies Final Report on M74 Corridor, pp. 35-48 and Figures 5.5-5.17. The report concludes that Glasgow in 2010 with the M74 scheme built Òshows a network which is more congested (even with the additional capacity provided by the M74) than in 2000.Ó (ibid, pp. 42, 5.6.3). END OF NEWS RELEASE |