Protesters challenging the £700m Birmingham Northern Relief Road today failed to convince the High Court that consent for the road is unlawful. A spokesman said afterwards that they are considering an appeal.
The Alliance against the Birmingham Northern Relief Road took on Environment Secretary John Prescott and developer Midlands Expressway (MEL). They sought to quash the go-ahead for the proposed 27 mile, privately owned stretch of dual carriageway toll road.
The judge said that Prescott had adopted a “perfectly lawful policy” in granting consent. Opponents claimed that Prescott’s decision was influenced by “immaterial factors”, but the judge rejected all of the campaigners’ arguments.
Midland Expressway said that they viewed todays decision as removing the final obstacle to the construction of the road. Tom Smith, managing director of MEL, said: “The relief road is needed to relieve perhaps the worst traffic congestion in Europe. It is an urgent necessity for Britains manufacturing industry and other businesses, to ensure efficient transportation between Scotland, the North and Southern England.”
EGi News 20/10/98
