 www.savepriorypark.org
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Occupation Of Government
Office of the
East Of England, Cambridge
23rd
January 2006
Parklife
'Save Priory Park' campaign
Press Release Monday 23rd
January 2006
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
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Government
office occupied by collective against the F5 'white elephant.'
Members of campaign group
Parklife, residents from the Camp Bling1 protest site, and
supporters from the wider anti-roads movement, are taking direct action this
morning against the controversial F5 dual carriageway scheme, planned for
the A127/A1159 Priory Crescent, in Southend on Sea, Essex.
An occupation is currently
underway at the Cambridge based regional Government Office for the East of
England GO-East2
(GO), in advance of recommendations to be made on funding for the
controversial stretch of dual carriageway, by the Regional Partnership Group3
which comprises both GO and the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA).
Speaking from inside the
building, Parklife campaigner and 'Bling' resident Shaun Qureshi said, 'The
Department for Transport (DfT) could be sponsoring destruction to the tune
of £27.5m, if the latest information from the Minister for Transport proves
to be correct.
Unfortunately no one will
answer our questions, and both GO-East and EERA will be making decisions
behind closed doors later this week, regarding recommending the scheme to
Ministers for funding.'
Protestors intend to stay
inside the Government office, disrupting business and drawing attention to
what they termed as, 'one of the most ridiculous road schemes ever devised,'
during a previous demonstration at the DfT in August 2005.
Qureshi added, 'The people of
Southend are now readying themselves to stop the F5 white elephant. This can
be done either by cancelling funds on the part of the Government, or by
direct action at Camp Bling. The outcome is very much in the hands of the
decision makers, who need to start listening, then thinking very long and
very hard about our views before their meeting this Friday, to avoid the
latter outcome.'
The Regional Partnership
Group is holding a closed meeting at 10.00am on Friday 27th
January, at Ipswich County Hall, Suffolk, to review a priority list of road
schemes for the region to be built over the next 10 years. A subsequent
final decision from the DfT is expected in the spring, based on the
recommendations of the Group.
Demonstrators intend to
disrupt the meeting, with a view to influencing the decision making process
and Government funding.
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ENDS.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1) 'Camp Bling' was established on Thursday 23rd
September 2005 by local residents in Southend on Sea, Essex. The camp is
intended to be a permanent fixture, until funding for the F5 road scheme is
cancelled, or a site eviction takes place.
2) Parklife are currently
occupying the entrance to the offices of regional Government office GO-East
at the Eastbrook site, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 2DF.
3) The Regional Partnership
Group comprises EERA, EEDA, Go-East, other key regional organisations and
elected members from each Local Area Agreement (LAA) grouping. The Group
will be asked to approve the recommended transport schemes at its meeting on
Friday 27th January 2006, before the details are sent to central
Government for final approval in the spring.
CONTACT:
Parklife
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