NAAG's Colourful banner made its way to Tollcross on Saturday (11.3.00) to greet people attending a Labour Party Conference fringe meeting organised by SERA.
Speakers included Sarah Boyack....
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Transport Options for Penicuik & Loanhead to Edinburgh (detailed report) - PDF
In spite of the fact that Sarah Boyack has refused to call a public enquiry into the A701, the campaign continues!
NAAG reaction to refusal to 'call in' proposals (press release 10.2.00)
On 1st Feb Sarah Boyack approved Midlothian Council's plans to build a completely new £20M dual carriageway A701 between Straiton and Milton Bridge, without a public inquiry.
This is despite a massive local campaign against the road - 407 letters objecting to the road and just 2 in favour.
The road is a dinosaur. First planned in the sixties, its aim is to open up the Green Belt for development. It will lead to huge, car-based, unsustainable developments, massive traffic growth in the area and greater congestion all around. It is exactly the sort of road that the Government claimed to have rejected in the white papers 'Travel Choices for Scotland' and 'A New Deal for Transport - Better for Everyone.'
Edinburgh Council have called for any decision to be postponed until a full multi-modal study into the corridor has been completed. No such study has been made, even though Midlothian has had £2.5M of public money to do so.
The road runs through undeveloped Green Belt for most of its length and cuts through the Bilston Glen SSSI. It also crosses a potentially toxic landfill site.
It will cost £500-£1000 for every household in Midlothian. This means loss of essential services and higher council taxes.
This road stinks. By denying an inquiry, Sarah Boyack is trying to prevent local people people being heard and the truth coming out.
Freedom of choice or business as usual?
Fuller article by Colin Howden
Opposition is growing!
The local opposition to the road scheme is led by the A701 No Alignment Action Group (NAAG). However, objectors include organisations as diverse as TRANSform Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the British Horse Society, the RSPB, the Scottish Association for Public Transport, the Loanhead Environment and Conservation Group, the Cyclists Touring Club, Straiton Bing Community Vision and Friends of the Earth Scotland.
Join the opposition to the road!
Help the local campaign against the road. NAAG can be contacted at Milton Bridge, Penicuik, EH26 ONX.
For more details contact Joan on 01968-675109. e-mail NAAG@ic24.net
NAAG website created by Caroline Daniels, maintained by Chris Hill of