Action by 10th September: Ask for NWL funding to be removed AND support for a Plan B 

We are supporting this action by TAN to ask central government to rethink all schemes like the NWL. 

Click on button to get to easy email action: 

Please add or edit to include a few details about the NWL. 

Points you might like to make (in your own words):

• I am particularly concerned about a scheme local to me, the Norwich Western Link (NWL). This is set to plough through an area with protected wildlife, including a bat colony of national importance.
• It also puts a Chalk Stream SAC at risk from road run off pollution. Chalk Streams have been described as the 'UKs Amazon' as they are globally almost unique, and should be afforded the highest protection.
• The contribution to carbon emissions both in construction and in induced traffic should preclude the NWL being built under our international climate obligations. 
• This scheme is unaffordable both nationally, and to the local council. The costs are likely to balloon to £400 million (based on overspend of another recent local project - the NDR). This risks putting Norfolk County Council in severe financial straits.
• There are alternatives to a road that could work if Norfolk had pressure and encouragement to create a Plan B of combination of measures. They have up until now failed to look at anything but road schemes as a solution to traffic problems. 
• I would strongly encourage you to withdraw funding for the Norwich Western Link road. 
  Please instead, fund the costs spent by the council up to this point, and give Norfolk sufficient funding for a comprehensive Plan B to tackle local traffic with excellent public transport, active travel and single lane road upgrades. This would still represent a massive saving for the government, but without leaving local people suffering with the traffic problems created by years of car focused policies.
• Over 4,600 people objected to, and only 200 supported the NWL in the recent planning public consultation, but Norfolk CC look to be pushing ahead despite public opinion. Withdrawing funding will stop them wasting money further on something that is highly likely to be called in and refused planning permission, or be refused a licence by Natural England.
  
  Thanks for taking action! Remember to do this by Tuesday 10th... 

The Stop the Wensum Link Team

P.S. We have offered to help Norfolk CC develop a Plan B. We have some initial suggestions for them to get them started.

If you use the email make sure you use the planning reference and include your name and address.

Some points to help: 

Destruction of Biodiversity:  The implementation of this road would inflict irreversible harm upon these precious ecosystems, threatening old woodlands with veteran trees and a rare chalk stream.

Increased Carbon Emissions: The construction of the road would exacerbate CO2 emissions significantly, both during the building phase and due to induced traffic. Such actions directly contradict our collective commitments to curbing carbon emissions and striving for 'net-zero' status by 2050. The expansion of road infrastructure blatantly contradicts climate emergency declarations and the ongoing global efforts to decarbonize.

Mitigation Failures: History has shown that past mitigation efforts for similar projects, such as the Broadland Northway (formerly known as the Northern Distributor Road), have fallen short in safeguarding local wildlife effectively. Given this track record, we question the efficacy of proposed mitigation measures for the Wensum Link road. How can we trust that this time will be any different?

Cost/Value for money

Spending this money on a three-mile environmentally damaging road with minimal, if any, economic advantages is unjustifiable. These public funds could be utilised more effectively elsewhere. Alternatives to a road have not been properly investigated, despite local people asking for non road solutions in initial consultations.

Need more details or points to make?

Download the easy guide via our website (under 'more ways to help' near the top of the home page')

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