Infeastructure Bill 2014

close
more_vert
tjj T
tjj Aug 19, 2014 14:05:11
Replying to Kozmik_Ken

Kozmik_Ken wrote:
The Infrastructure Bill 2014, currently before the House of Lords, could well threaten our National Parks and access to some of our best loved landscapes. It seeks to transfer public land to the Housing and Communities Agency, in the process extinguishing any existing rights of way and protection from development, which could well include scheduled ancient monuments.

More here: http://bit.ly/VzoZvv.

Thank you for this post and the link to Andy Hemingway's blog. This is so very depressing it would be easy to look the other way and just get on with your own little corner of the universe. Once again, it comes back to energy production and over population.
On the energy production side: no one wants to give up driving their car or travelling by plane at least to holiday destinations ("my one flight a year won't make a difference"). Where is the fuel coming from, especially now things are so precarious in the Middle East. No one, with a few exceptions, wants wind turbines or solar parks spoiling the landscape, especially near ancient monuments. In fact there was outrage recently when an anti-fracking group made a protest at Avebury.

Housing is driven by different issues which are in some ways easier to get a handle on - but protest as much as you like; gather thousands to support your cause - the Secretary of State i.e. Government will throw objections out at the end of the day and give developers the go ahead.

So what to do ... If we are honest I think the majority of us bury our heads in the metaphorical sand and walk away. I will contact my MP and put my objections to this bill on the record. Will it make any difference ?? We can but try.

Edit: Have just noticed you are Andy Hemingway - great blog!

K Kozmik_Ken
Kozmik_Ken Aug 20, 2014 06:24:32
Replying to tjj

Hi tjj, thanks for the kind words about my blog.

Yes, there is little doubt that the bill will pass through parliament unhindered. I'm trying to suggest to my MP that Labour table an amendment to protect national parks and honour existing protections such as scheduled ancient monuments and SSSIs (even consecrated ground isn't sacred under this bill, if you'll excuse the pun). I don't hold out much hope, as it was he that told me that Labour wouldn't be opposing the bill.

I share your pessimism but do feel that we have a duty of sorts to oppose such bills (now that Labour seem to have lost the will to oppose). Once the Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP) comes into force, the combined effect of that and the Infrastructure Bill will mean the death of our public amenities. If in 1932 those men and women hadn't turned off the path and climbed the steep slopes of Kinder Scout, to face the gamekeepers, we may not have had any access rights as we know them to protect.