Let's Push for a Pause!

Published: Sat, 02/06/21

A final push before March 8th!

Norfolk County Council has their meeting on putting forward the road plans to the Department of Transport for funding (the Outline Business Case (OBC) on March 8th.
This is an important step (although by no means a final one) in the process of getting the NWL built.
Therefore we all need to contact NCC to let them know our concerns about the project before this meeting and ask them to just pause and rethink the plans in the light of COVID and increased environmental and ecological concerns.
Please see below for help with contacting NCC

There have been some articles in the press recently about the terrible traffic that residents of villages such as Weston Longville suffer currently. The SWL believe that these problems could be solved without a major new road. Part of the reason we are asking for a Pause and Review is to redirect money and effort into solving traffic problems in other ways that won't just move the problem elsewhere.
Although only the Council will be able to gather the data and access the resources to create viable solutions, there are members of the Wensum Valley Association looking into what has been successful elsewhere to help point the NCC in the right direction. Please email us if you would like to be part of this.

A year of discoveries from bat studies in the Wensum Valley!

It has been a year since the bat crowdfunder was launched.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far!
If you were unable to attend our excellent webinar in December you can see a summary of the main findings here
There is still a lot of research to be done, to have robust findings to present to the NCC and DfT, so please donate if you can.

A New Alternative Ecology Group

Norfolk County Council have an Ecology Liaison Group, with representatives from local nature conservation groups 'with the purpose of sharing information and ideas and providing in-depth local insight on ecological matters.'
SWL read the minutes on these meetings and note the attendance of the all the groups. We are disappointed! There is very little challenge and scrutiny, and attendance of meetings are poor.
Having an ELG means that publicly the NCC can say that plans have been approved by ecological interest groups. But if most of them are not attending, or significantly engaging, this is a meaningless exercise and is just allowing the Council to greenwash the project.
Therefore we are launching an Alternative Ecology Group!
To start we have a letter to the council and we are gathering signatures from engaged groups and highly respected ecologists.
We already have a long list, but we would like more people to be involved!
If you are an ecologist yourself or a member of a concerned group please get in touch: stopthewensumlink@protonmail.com.
We would also like to help members of the NCC ELG to be more engaged and use their position. If you are a member of any of the organisations involved you could prompt them to be more active. It may be lack of time, resources and lack of detailed information that is the problem: we can help with that! See the bottom of the email for the list of groups on the ELG. Please let us know if you get in touch with them.

Norwich City Council have withdrawn their support for the NWL.

Thanks to everyone who contacted the city council and submitted questions last month!
In theory they would still support the road if certain conditions were fulfilled, but these are highly unlikely to be met. We now hope North Norfolk District Council will follow their lead and withdraw their support, as regional support props the project up. This is a Liberal Democrat led council and the Liberal Democrats have a national stance on environmental issues that would seem to be at odds with supporting major road schemes locally.
Please see below for action you can take.

We hope to see you soon at one of our events, despite all the restrictions we have a lot going on!

The Stop the Wensum Link Team

Events

General Actions Meeting 15th Feb 4.30pm online

Everyone welcome. Working on many different ways to raise awareness including webinars, fostering link with other groups. More help always needed!
Link to join here Code 806338
If you are keen to attend meetings but days/times are unsuitable for you please let us know. If you can offer ANY time or skills, please do get in touch: stopthewensumlink@protonmail.com,

Webinar: Twyford Rising 19th March 7 or 7.30pm (time TBC)

Helen Beynon is a writer, ecologist and environmental activist. She will be reading from her book Twyford Rising. This tells the story of the protests to stop the construction of a motorway through Twyford Down, a beautiful hill in Hampshire, England. This was the first time environmental direct action on this scale had been taken in the UK.

This book provides ideas and inspiration for contemporary campaigners. We hope it will stimulate an interesting discussion!

Please register to join: stopthewensumlink@protonmail.com

Artists Meeting 8 March at 7.30 online

With The Artist Union England and SWL. An informal open discussion about responding the Wensum Valley threat. Open to all artists.
Zoom Link will be published here closer to the event. You don't need to be on Facebook to look at the event and find the link.

TRACKS AND TRAILS MARCH 27/28 2021

Celebrating nature in Norwich and the Wensum Valley, amazing, rare wildlife on our doorstep!
heavenwells@mac.com or Phone 07803608274 to register
In person or online (depending on current restrictions.)

Sat March 27 10-3 Drop in creative workshop Anteros Arts, Fye Bridge St Norwich NR3 1LJ Learn more about the nature on your doorstep, make masks and shields to celebrate.
Sunday March 28 11-2 Bring your masks and shields to the Wensum Valley and walk with your creatures, birds, plants, trees, bees and bats.

How can I help?

1. Contact Norfolk County Council before March 8th!

Keep the pressure up! We need to make sure that that Council members are seeing the bigger picture: the huge financial, ecological and climate change costs vs the highly dubious benefits.

Your email can be very short and simple. Just making the effort to write shows that the issue is a big concern for you.

Need the facts? See our website for the 10 myths of the SWL

Contact your own county councillor if you have one.

Otherwise, contact Martin Wilby (NCC Highways and Infrastructure) and Steffan Aquarone (lib dem leader NCC) and Deputy leader North Norfolk District Council Eric Seward

martin.wilby.cllr@norfolk.gov.uk

steffan.aquarone.cllr@norfolk.gov.uk

eric.seward@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Live in North Norfolk?

If you live in North Norfolk, include your North Norfolk District Councillor

Make sure your councillor knows the facts, and encourage them to think about whether supporting a road project is compatible with what they stand for. With many of the North Norfolk councillors especially we may be pushing at an open door, so please be positive and respectful.

Thankyou!

2. Ask one other person to contact NCC too!

3. Treasurer required

We desperately need a treasurer! Not onerous duties and help will be given if you need it. It's a very important role to help us progress the campaign- and current active members are too swamped to take it on.

4. Artists and Photographers

We need imagery for the campaign to be used as part of the planning process. For instance to illustrate what the road and viaduct will actually look like.

So we need

1. artists who can draw landscapes acutely to depict views and create artist impressions of the proposed construction.

2. Photo shop to create photomontage

3. Photographers for views

4. GIS (Geographical information system) to create maps of the Phase 1 and all other ecological surveys.

Any technical artists or draftspeople who could help?

Photographers: It would be good to carry out a visual impact survey to show where the road will be visible from. Winter would be a good time to do this whilst views are not obscured by leaves on trees.

5. Surveying and Landscape

Although the citizen science Phase 1 habitat survey is paused for now, we have achieved a great deal. A 2km strip has been surveyed leading from A47 to the Wensum floodplain. Because the Wensum is in spate right now we won’t be surveying that area till around April.

We still need ecologists, botanists landscape mangers and landscape architects, planners to help. With the data we have collected we need to have a critical look at the developer’s reports and summarise findings.

We also need people to look at public rights of way and the impact the road will have on walking, cycling, horse riding and general access to the countryside which is heavily promoted by Norfolk County Council.

6. Contact Ecology Liaison Group members

Ask them how often they attend meetings and their approach. Do they want help, support or information? Post about the NWL on the group's Facebook page, or write an article or letter for their newsletter (we can help if you need it).

Buglife,

Wensum Valley Bird watching society,

Norfolk and Norwich Naturalist society,

Friends of Tud Valley

Costessey Conservation Volunteers,

Norfolk Amphibian and Reptile Group,

Butterfly Conservation

Norwich Bat Group

Toadwatch

Norfolk Badger Trust

Woodland Trust

Norfolk Rivers Trust and Norfolk Wildlife Trust are also members of the ELG. They have come out publicly against the road. However there would be nothing wrong in reminding them how important the issue is and encourage them to keep challenging NCC.