Yellow Advertiser
6th July 2005

You can help stop the F5

THOSE still following the ongoing 'Save Priory Park' campaign, can once again help in the fight to stop the F5 dual carriageway scheme, planned for the A127/A1159 Priory Crescent, Southend on Sea, Essex.

Despite compulsory purchase and side road orders being granted by Secretary of State Alistair Darling, after the local public inquiry held last year, funding is still not available to start work on the road.

Latest available figures, show costs for the 870 metre stretch of new carriageway having more than tripled, to reach a staggering £11.242m as of last summer. This is the equivalent per mile, to a brand new stretch of motorway, with all of the associated destruction that it will bring to the most sensitive area of our town.

The local authority is still seeking the significant £7.742m shortfall from Government, with the latest fitures due to be announced by the end of July.

Please write at the earliest convenience to show your opposition and to request cancellation of all funding to: Karen Buck MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, 26 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2WH, or alternatively e-mail: Karen.Buck@dft.gsi.gov.uk

Lessons learnt during the 90s showed that the key element in successfully stopping a scheme was a visible, and determined ongoing campaign run by local people.

The people of Southend have truly been amazing throughout - we therefore hope that you will support us with this request.

Shaun Qureshi
Campaigner Parklife
via email

Consult welcomed

HOW refreshing that the council, led by Anna Waite, has made a commitment to consult the public about key issues affecting the town.

May I respectfully remind her that, at a previous consultation exercise, more than 25,000 people signed a petition and wrote letters imploring the council not to widen Priory Crescent, compared to just 16 who wrote to the council in favour of the scheme, and at last year's public inquiry into the scheme the members of the public who took part were, with one exception, unanimously and implacably opposed to the scheme. And the one exception changed her mind half way through.

Perhaps we will now see the abandonment of the scheme in favour of a grand visitors' centre so we can view the Saxon remains which belong here.

Peter Walker
Chairman, Priory Park Preservation Society
East Street
Southend

Back to News Page
Back to Home Page