Road Wars

A30 Exeter Honiton ByPass

Squall 10, Summer 1995, pg. 19.

This 16 mile 'improvement’ is part of the Trans European Road Network and is to be put into Privately run hands.

Known as Design Build Finance Operate (DBFO) this technique looks to be a popular one with the DoT, keen to pass the responsibility for road projects over to the private sector.

The project is currently out to tender and although several trees and hedgerows have been ripped out, construction has not yet begun. There are rumours that no-one wants to take this particular road on.

This may be in part due to the fact that the protesters at two camps along the route are growing in number, especially since the eviction of Stanworth Valley, and the threat of a long campaign of digger diving and crane climbing looms large. Actions up until now have been small and in response to limited clearance work.

Having seen what happened at Twyford Down, the M11, Pollock, Stanworth Valley and Newbury, potential contractors may be loathe to get involved and shoulder the security and eviction costs as well as the cost of the road itself.

An A30 Action Office will be up and running soon in conjunction with SCAR (South Coast Against Road-building).

Contact Road Alert for details.