New campaign against second Forth road bridge

Friends of the Earth Scotland

Campaign groups who successfully fought a second Forth road bridge proposal ten years ago reform to fight plans for a new crossing. Groups include the Cockburn Association, Friends of the Earth Scotland and TRANSform Scotland.

The ForthRight Alliance have reassembled in response to the Forth Estuary Transport Authority's (FETA) decision to include a second Forth road bridge option in its transport strategy. The campaigners propose that instead of an additional road crossing FETA should be pursuing sustainable transport alternatives.

Vice-Chairman of the Cockburn Association, Bill Cantley said: "The Cockburn Association is concerned at the reappearance, in the Draft Local Transport Strategy, published by the Forth Estuary Transport Authority, of the case for a Second Forth Road Bridge. The description of the proposal as a "new multi-modal crossing" is wholly unconvincing. It appears primarily to be a response to catering for the 70% of cars crossing the present bridge with a single occupant at peak times.

"We do not accept that the case has been made for a new bridge and look forward to collaborating again with our previous Forthright Alliance colleagues in campaigning for the removal of Package 4 from this Local Transport Strategy."

Friends of the Earth Scotland's Head of Research, Dr Dan Barlow, said:

"A Second Forth Road Bridge is the most expensive and least sustainable option, it will increase traffic and exacerbate pollution. FETA should discount this option and look towards improving public transport instead."

Colin Howden, Campaigns Manager for TRANSform Scotland, said:

"FETA's claims that any new bridge is needed for public transport is a smokescreen and a gratuitous attempt to mislead the public. The agenda of Fife Council is very clear: they want a second Forth road bridge whatever the environmental and traffic repercussions.

"There is no financial case for another rail crossing of the Forth. Additional rail capacity on the existing Forth Bridge can be made available at low cost once coal trains are switched on to the new Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine line. FETA should stop wasting its time promoting new road-building and get on with delivering the public transport alternatives that it has so far failed to deliver."

CONTACTS:
David McDonald, Director, Cockburn Association - 0131 557 8686
Colin Howden, Campaigns Manager, TRANSform Scotland - 0131 467 7714
Dan Barlow, Head of Research, Friends of the Earth Scotland - 0131 554 9977

For further information on the ForthRight Alliance campaign: www.forthrightalliance.org.

See today's Scotsman article on the ForthRight Alliance.

FETA's draft Local Transport Strategy puts forward four different transport proposals, three of which are supportable. However, the final proposal ("Package 4") is entirely unacceptable as it includes building a traffic-generating, environmentally-destructive, second Forth Road Bridge and goes against the principles which we understood had been established by the relevant Planning Authorities and the Scottish Executive.

A consultation on FETA's Local Transport Strategy ends on 30 September: www.feta.gov.uk.