We've been involved with various legal actions, challenging the Government's obsession with new roads, which drive up traffic and emissions. We've also supported the successful challenge to the A303 Stonehenge scheme.
Our current challenge(s)
Cuts to walking and cycling legal challenge: You can read about our latest legal challenge in The Guardian which describes how we are taking the Government court over its funding cuts to walking, wheeling and cycling (active travel). If you would like to support our challenge you can donate via our crowdfunder.
Our previous actions
A428 legal challenge: we challenged the Government's decision in August 2022 to approve the Development Consent Order (DCO) (or planning permission) for the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet road 'improvement'. It's a 10 mile, £1bn dual carriageway and is one of the biggest emitters of carbon in the roads programme (RIS2). The challenge was around how climate change and nature were considered in the decision making process.
National Policy Statement legal challenge: we first challenged the Government's refusal to review the national policy that governs planning approval for new roads (National Policy Statement for National Networks, NPSNN) in March 2020. Grant Shapps twice refused to review it, ignoring the advice of his official advisors. On 14 July 2021 the DfT announced they would review the policy, but on 22 July 2021 refused to suspend it while the review was carried out. It was meant to be completed and the new policy adopted in Spring 2023, but it is not expected to be complete until the end of 2023 at the earliest.
RIS2 legal challenge: we challenged the Government's approval of its £27 billion, second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2) on climate grounds. This is how the Government wishes to see the strategic roads network in England develop between 2020 - 2025. This was our first legal challenge.
Thanks
We're particularly grateful for everyone who has contributed towards our legal costs via our CrowdJustice pages, or donated directly and to WeHaveThePOWER and CPRE, the Countryside Charity, for helping fund the background research and work needed to bring the road challenges to court.
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