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sTOP THE A38 Derby Junctions road expansion

After the approval of the A38 Derby Junctions road expansion on the 18th August, we’re preparing to challenge it again to halt this harmful and unnecessary project.

 

Thank you to everyone who signed this petition. We started this petition 3 years ago when the A38 expansion was in the examination phase prior to approval. We handed the petition to Derby City Council and the Department for Transport who both dismissed it. It was our legal challenge in 2021 which stopped this destructive scheme and now the Government has pushed it through the again, we’re challenging it again. 

Reviewing the Secretary of State’s Decision Letter from the planning website, we’ve identified grounds to challenge the road scheme’s reapproval. Our lawyers are drafting the challenge and we will keep supporters informed as the legal challenge progresses. 

 

The Secretary of State of Transport has given far too much weight to the claimed economic benefits of the scheme while downplaying the negative impacts climate, biodiversity, air quality, property, land, and traffic congestion during the 4-year construction.

 

Some initial observations from the Decision Letter:

  • Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and others raised concerns about the lack of use of a Biodiversity Metric Assessment by National Highways but these were dismissed by the Secretary of State, allowing trashing of the environment with no proper mitigation plan.
  • A38 Kingsway Roundabout Local Wildlife Site’s destruction, with unresolved mitigation issues. 
  • Admission of likely air quality worsening during construction and dismissing latest UK air pollution laws.
  • Our previous legal challenge won based on the carbon emissions’ cumulative impact and the A38 scheme is still being considered in isolation (eg. Not considering the emissions from the minimum of 11,000 developments that the scheme will enable).
  • Secretary of State’s unjustified confidence in carbon emission reduction, despite evidence of UK’s failure by the Committee on Climate Change.
  • Ignoring Committee on Climate Change’s advice to pause road building plans; favouring private developer interests.


We know this scheme is being pushed through to benefit developers and other lobbyists and donors of the Government. The Secretary of State’s decision letter explicitly mentions the A38 expansion releasing land for a minimum of 11,000 developments. Just days after the scheme was given the green light, developers already swooped in; “600 Mickleover homes begrudgingly re-approved after council error. More homes can be built in Derby ahead of the planned A38 works.”

 

This is yet another example of the Government using public money to prioritise the interests of their friends in big business over ordinary people and the environment. 

 

This isn’t just about protecting the Derby area, if we win this legal challenge again, it could help prevent the Government pushing through other nature and climate wrecking developments. 

 

We’re a group of local people volunteering time to this campaign to fight against the money and power of National Highways, central Government and their corporate lobbyist backers. Please help us however you can in this David vs Goliath battle. 

 

 

Many thanks,

The Stop the A38 Campaign Group