M65 Opening

The new M65 motorway just outside Manchester was finally opened in mid December. The road had been resisted throughout its construction, including a year long occupation of the route during 1995.

The opening ceremony was attended by the usual array of councillors, police, security, activists, angry locals and Jack Straw the local MP. The police made two slightly enthusiastic arrests at the beginning of the event and security remained rather uptight. Although activists did not disrupt the ceremony they managed to divert all media attention from it, commenting, albeit slightly incoherently on the madness and sheer horror of this new road . The police got over their excited arresting behaviour after the ceremony had finished and so released the cheerful captives who all went home and drank tea.