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NEWS RELEASE
Monday 1st September 2008
IMPORTANT OBJECTORS EXCLUDED FROM FORTHCOMING ABERDEEN BYPASS PUBLIC LOCAL
INQUIRY BECAUSE OF ITS LIMITED REMIT AND SCOPE
- Narrow scope of what will be considered at AWPR PLI rules Friends of
the Earth Scotland and Transform Scotland out from taking part
- AWPR PLI condemned as a “charade” and “window-dressing”
The narrow remit and limited scope for the forthcoming
Public Local Inquiry (PLI) into the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route
(AWPR) (1) has ruled out a number of important organisations and objectors
from taking part, including Friends of the Earth Scotland and Transform
Scotland – the Scottish campaign for sustainable transport (2).
The AWPR PLI will commence on Tuesday 09 September 2008, and will run
for ten weeks (3). The Scottish Government has stated, with regard to
the scope of the AWPR PLI: “Having accepted the need in principle
for the road, Scottish Ministers do not wish to be advised on the justification
for the principle of the Special Road Scheme in economic, policy or strategy
terms.” and: “Scottish Ministers have directed that they only
wish to be advised on the ‘technical aspects’ of the route
choice.”
This decision to limit the scope of what can be discussed at the AWPR
PLI means that it will not consider the basic question of whether the
project should go ahead or not. It is also likely that other important
issues may not be discussed, including the project’s uncapped cost,
its context within wider transport policy, and its relevance in the context
of climate change and peak oil.
The Scottish Government’s decision to restrict the scope of the
AWPR PLI means that a large number of the unprecedented ten-thousand-plus
objectors to the AWPR, including many of Scotland’s environment
and transport expert and campaigning groups, will now be excluded from
giving evidence to the PLI, as their objections and arguments now lie
outwith the Inquiry’s narrow scope. These objectors include organisations
such as Friends of the Earth Scotland and Transform Scotland (2).
Colin Howden, Director of Transform Scotland said: "The decision
to restrict the scope of the Inquiry is designed to silence and disenfranchise
objectors to the road. We have a range of well-considered, factual and
reasonable arguments to offer as to why the project should not go ahead,
but the Scottish Government has chosen to silence opponents by excluding
their arguments from consideration. It is clear that the Scottish Ministers
are not prepared to allow free and open scrutiny of this project, and
as such we are not prepared to participate in the charade that this Inquiry
represents. It’s clear that the Scottish Government wants this road
at all costs, and the Inquiry is a simply an exercise in window-dressing."
Duncan McLaren, Chief Executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said:
“The limited scope of the PLI means it won't have grounds or
evidence to reject the road, making it look like a foregone conclusion.
If this is the case why have a PLI at all? We are mystified as to the
legal foundation for such a limited scope and curtailment of terms. The
AWPR is not listed in the National Planning Framework, and is not classed
as nationally significant scheme, so Ministers should not be trying to
push it through as they are. There may well be legal grounds to challenge
the limited scope of the PLI.”
Campaigners from Road Sense (4), the community campaign against the AWPR,
have announced that they will take part at the forthcoming PLI, despite
its narrow remit and limited scope. The campaigners believe that they
can still convince the PLI Reporters that the AWPR as proposed is not
the best solution to the transport problems of the northeast, even just
relying on arguments allowed within the narrow remit and limited scope
of the PLI.
Henry Irvine-Fortescue, Vice Chair of Road Sense, said: “Road
Sense is gravely concerned by Scottish Minister’s decision to restrict
the scope of what can be discussed at the PLI. This deeply unfair and
undemocratic move will put many of our arguments against the AWPR outside
the scope of the PLI. That said, we feel we have to participate. We owe
it to the thousands of people and organisations who objected to the road,
and who have now been excluded from taking part in the PLI.”
Mr Irvine-Fortescue continued: “We still have strong and compelling,
factual arguments against the new road as it is currently proposed, and
are looking forward to exposing the many flaws and half truths in the
arguments put forward by the road’s proposers. The exclusion of
many objectors from the PLI constitutes a serious blow to public participation
and local democracy, and creates a significant democratic deficit. We
will fight at the PLI on behalf of all of those who have been unfairly
and cynically excluded from doing so themselves.”
ENDS
Editors Notes:
1. Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR)
More information on the AWPR can be found at: www.awpr.org
2. Transform Scotland and Friends of the Earth Scotland
More information on Transform Scotland can be found at: www.transformscotland.org.uk.
More information on Friends of the Earth Scotland can be found at: www.foe-scotland.org.uk.
3. Public Local Inquiry (PLI)
The AWPR PLI will commence on Tuesday 09 September 2008, and will run
for approximately ten weeks. It will be held in the Cedar Suite of the
Aberdeen Hilton Treetops Hotel, and will normally sit for four days each
week (Tuesday to Friday). More information on the AWPR PLI can be found
at: www.awpr-pli.org
4. Road Sense
Road Sense was formed in January 2006 and is a group that includes residents
from across the Aberdeen area who are objecting to the AWPR as it is currently
proposed. More information on Road Sense can be found at: www.road-sense.org
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>From the press office of Portable PR, on behalf of Road Sense
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END OF NEWS RELEASE
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