Lancashire M65 Campaign Needs You Now!!
This campaign faces some challenges in the near future, as they prepare to fight Contract 2 of this nasty road...
1. - A row of six squatted cottages on the route near Blackburn are due to have a court eviction hearing in London on the 23rd January, so supporters at the High Court hearing in the Strand would be welcome.... Also, barricaders are urgently needed to make the cottages into a northern Claremont Road; several innovative defences are being built already. All barricade experts please get up there ASAP! There are currently just a handful of people doing all the work.
There will be a mega-barricading weekend from Friday 20th - Sunday 22nd January; all welcome!! The squats are at 521-531 Blackburn Road, Earcroft, Near Darwen, Lancs, (on the A666 south of Blackburn)
2. - Right at the start of stage 2 of the road stands Stanworth Valley - an ancient woodland of outstanding beauty. Many animals and birds live here - foxes, hares, kingfishers, and also deer pass through.
Anti-road protesters set up camp in August, and what started off as a small camp has now grown into a large and lively group of 30-40 people. The 15 tree-houses (and counting!) are connected by a system of high level tensioned steel cable walkways which span the 500m valley and across the Stanwith River. Work still continues on this treetop village, probably unique in Europe, despite the chill and mud of the Lancashire winter.
Surveyors, accompanied by security and police, have been spotted in the valley, and so danger may be looming.......tree-sitters, ropes, tarps, harnesses, etc. are all needed.
We have just received notification of a high court eviction hearing - again the 23rd Jan, after which the Dept of Roads is expected to try and evict peaceful protesters from their homes. Protesters are preparing for siege conditions and are adamant that they will not descend until the motorway scheme is brought back to the public enquiry stage.
This camp is run on non-violent ’fluffy’ principles - and this village aims to highlight many individuals' dedicated belief that our beautiful countryside is worth saving. It also explores the potential for non-environmentally-damaging woodland tree-top communities!
3. - A digger driver who crushed a protester last year appears in court charged with attempted GBH. The case will be held at Leyland Magistrates court on Mon 13th Feb. BE THERE.
If you can’t get up there in person, donations of money (cheques payable to “No M65” - send to No M65, 154 Miller Road, Preston PR1 5QS). Publicity for the campaign is also needed, so please spread the word and network the forthcoming events!
Tel: 01772 704103; or 01254 776642