Transport – Page 29 – Earth First!

documentary: Reclaim Power – voices from the camp for climate action 2006

In the summer of 2006, 600 people convinced that there is no time to waste set up a Camp for Climate Action in the shadow of one of the biggest C02 emitters in Europe: Drax coal-fired power station in Yorkshire / UK. Cine Rebelde produced a documentary film about the camp.

Climate change is now a reality. Leading scientists across the world agree that in a ’business as usual scenario’ we have no longer than 10 years to prevent 2-3 degrees of additional global arming that will lead to irreversible climatic changes with dramatic consequences for our planet.

However, in a world driven by profit and committed to unlimited economic growth, humanity seems very unwilling to change the course of the fossil fuel economy.

In the summer of 2006, the 5th hottest year ever recorded in recent history, 600 people convinced that there is no time to waste set up a Camp for Climate Action in the shadow of one of the biggest C02 emitters in Europe: Drax coal-fired power station in Yorkshire / UK.

With over one hundred workshops on a wide range of topics, the 10 day camp was a space of collective learning, sustainable living and taking direct action on the root causes of climate change. The gathering that showed practical low energy solutions in action, culminated in a day of protest and mass direct action in an attempt to shut down Drax.

DVD 62min + extras
English with subtitles in English, French, German and Spanish
reports on indymedia UK: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2006/climatecamp/

Trailer download: 2:58 min
http://www.cinerebelde.org/site.php3?id_article=356〈=en

a cine rebelde production in cooperation with http://risingtide.org.uk and http://climatecamp.org.uk

indymedia reports of the Camp 2006:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2006/climatecamp/

Pictures, information and film orders:
orders@cinerebelde.org
http://www.cinerebelde.org

DVDs will also soon be available from rising tide, climate camp groups and at the meeting in Bristol.

* * * * * *
Preparations for the Camp for Climate Action 2007 are in full swing. The upcoming meeting will be in Bristol on March 17th /18th.

Rising Tide North America is currently doing a Road Show. Check out:
http://risingtidenorthamerica.org

Rospuda camp of road protesters temporarily suspended

Due to agreement with road builders and the law not allowing to disturb the birds in lying eggs the Rospuda camp at the Rospuda River in Poland is temporarily suspended. Ecologists are located in nearby villages or await in other cities ready for immediate action. If You need to contact them and await with them ready for action, then here are the data of Polish Greenpeace:

Save Rospuda Valley Demonstration, London, 9 March 2007

A ‘Save the Rospuda Valley’ demonstration will take place on Friday, 9th March 2007 at 16.30, outside the Polish Embassy, 47 Portland Place, London.

Residents in 16 Polish towns are protesting in opposition to the building of the ‘Via Baltic Expressway’ through the Rospuda River Valley – the last such natural treasure of its kind in Europe.

The protest camp set up on 13 February aims to delay the work. Protestors are sleeping in and amongst the trees, in temperatures as low as -20 degrees Centigrade (use the links below to view recent footage of the conditions at the camp):

The camp:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaZiKfyRLdM&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ_fWfQ2mjo&NR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44IySFbtmGc&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW41XY4eofQ&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZS41nBvZcM&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSVlnNVb6jM&mode=related&search=

Olecko town feeds the protesters – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mQJeoAdtJo&mode=related&search=

Further information concerning the situation, along with updates from the camp are also available at (these sites feature articles in English language):

www.viabalticainfo.org
www.dolina-rospudy.pl
http://www.zieloni.org.pl/

Donations can be made to:
Description: “Rospuda”
Account Number (IBAN): 44 16801206 0000 3000 1447 1454
Fundacja Instytut Spraw Obywatelskich
ul. Wieckowiskiego 33/127 90-734 Lódz
Nazwa banku / oddział: Invest Bank
Swiftcode (BIC): * *IVSEPL PP

SAVE PRIOY PARK : Mass Rally (photos)

26.02.2007

As promised by local campaigners, and expected by the wider public, hundreds of local people converged upon Southend Civic Centre last Thursday for the ‘Parkrally’, to oppose controversial plans to widen the A127/A1159 Priory Crescent, or ‘scheme F5’ as it has come to be known.

The event follows the recent ‘storming’ of the British Archaeological Awards celebration at Prittlewell Priory in January, when dozens of local residents disrupted an invite only ‘wine and cheese’ event held for local dignitaries, in celebration of the discovery of the East Saxon king’s burial, which would be destroyed, should the £25m road scheme get the go ahead.

Feelings continue to run high, with majority public opposition to the scheme repeatedly being shown by local groups, and press, six years into the campaign to stop the road.

Speaking from the steps of the Civic Centre, where a meeting of the full Council was taking place inside, campaigner and local resident Shaun Qureshi said, ‘Southend Borough Council are either somehow still ignorant of the fact that so many people continue to demonstrate, or they are arrogant enough to feel that they can simply push us aside.

‘They have only time and silence on their side, and the commonly held misconception that the scheme has already been canned by the Department for Transport, who would be required to provide the funding. The feeling that the scheme will not now go ahead is due to the delay in anyone in authority either taking any responsibility, or coming to a decision on the issue.

‘However, recent events have proven that despite this, significant numbers of the local public can still be mobilised to take action, that we do have majority support, and should the go-ahead be given, that there will be outrage across the town if attempts are made to evict Camp Bling, concrete over the burial or to destroy yet another green space.’

A decision to fund the road widening has been awaited from the DfT since a local Public Inquiry took place in March 2004. Information from the East of England Regional Partnership Group shows that costs have now risen to an estimated £25m for the 870 metre length of carriageway , making it potentially, ‘The most expensive stretch of road in the world.’

http://www.savepriorypark.org

Dozens of Swampys desperately needed to save Rospuda Valley, Poland

People who will defend the valley are needed. Do not leave Polish eco-warriors alone. Polish ultracatholic government is building a road through primeval forest. An inquiry into the preparation of this investment shows that the decison process was undemocratic, a variant called Chodorki variant of the proposed bypass that was avoiding the valley altogether was excluded from the appraisal procedure, as well as the Eastern variant, which was the cheapest.

Swampys in all qualities and quantities are needed in Poland to stop, or slow down the inwestment, and to create the much needed media coverage of this problem. As by now, no one of the national media reporting on the problem have not arrived to the core of the problem, that is the manipulations of the authorities with the choice of the variants and manipulated transport investment appraisal process. The government-owned TVP (kind of Polish BBC, alas ultracatholic and neonationalistic) is so biased when reporting on the issue, that it despereatedly tries to show ecologists as mentally ill people that possess even no capability to speak in their own name.

Here are the directions to Rospuda Valley.

The Valley is here:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&z=12&ll=53.896045,22.934303&spn=0.146468,0.3162&om=1

The camp is over the river. Easy to find if arrived to Augustów no later than in the mid-day as it might be 4 hours walk from the town.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rospuda

From Kaunas to Augustów you might take a bus or a train. There is one train connection daily from Kaunas to Augustów, the train departs at 13:01 with change in Sestokai and arrives at 15:56. The schedules (also connections from other European cities to Augustów) are here:

http://rozklad.pkp.pl/bin/query.exe/en?

Nights are cold. Please check the weather forecast before departing. Get ready for more than minus 10 degree in the night.

plea for international support and publicity, let everyone you know, know. people needed to support camp with people power. if you plan to go to rospuda from u.k in mid march, contact piotr-dziedzice@gmail.com.

Rospuda Protest Camp – Films for viewing

Use the links below to watch the most recent films from the Rospuda Protest Camp. This will give you an idea of the conditions and temperatures being endured by the activists. Dialogue is in Polish language, but the images speak for themselves:

Olecko town feeds the protesters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mQJeoAdtJo&mode=related&search=

Police Critical of Mass (edinburgh)

23 Feb 2007
A critical mass of over 40 cyclists converged this Friday on Edinburgh city centre. After meeting between the art galleries near the mound they undertook a lively cycle ride, lasting nearly two hours through the town.

The mass had a generally uncompromising attitude to traffic, corking lanes at red lights to keep the mass together, ensuring the event was safe and fun for all involved.

Pounding techno music from the sound system set a really good mood for the cycle. There was a 25Watt megaphone-soundsystem with some uplifting tunes from Aphex twin, Squarepusher, a bit apocolyptic orchestral. One of the participants said “The music was quite amazing, it brought a whole different atmosphere to the ride. By changing the daily reality of people, with cars blocked and silent bikes riding to the music that filling the whole street, there is a vision of what is possible. I think critical mass is a revolutionary moment.”

Four police motorcycles arrived halfway through the ride, intercepting the procession outside the mosque near Edinburgh University. Several individuals were pulled to one side and warned that their lights were not legal. Despite forty cyclists being quite conspicuous and easily observable by motorists, they complained that several participants in the critical mass were breaking the law. Apparently flashing red lights are not adequately safe and visible, despite forty people with flashing red lights looking much like an xmas party. The name and address of one Edinburgh University student was taken, but no-one was arrested or formally cautioned, although they were warned that they may face an on the spot fine if caught again without legal lights. Despite this, the four police motorcyclists left the mass and no police were seen again after this unnecessary confrontation.

An Edinburgh University anthropology student who was accosted by the a police motorcyclists commented: “the problems they had with me were reasonable, i was cycling without any lights, they were just enforcing the law, I didnt go home when warned and was going slow on the inside lane and partially obstructing the police motorcycles”

One of the participants, an unemployed man living in Leith said: “the police were being antagonistic. So what if some of us had flashing red lights, and did not have the legally necessary white lights on the front of our bikes, haven’t they got better things to do? I think they just hate it when a bunch of people get together in a group to do something fun or radical and they cant control or dominate the situation. Despite the police, it was the best critical mass i have been on, good people and good atmosphere.”

A computer programmer from near the meadows said “I thought it went just dandily, it was good that we went slowly and blocked the whole road and there was nothing they [the police] could do about it because we were well within the law.”

“I’m going to dress up like a fucking christmas tree for the next critical mass, then they cant complain!” exclaimed one cyclist.

The vast majority of those in the mass were not intimidated by the police and continued with the critical mass demonstration, continuing along George St., and enjoyed cycling around the roundabouts and along the picturesque cobbled streets.

Edinburgh’s critical mass meets at 5.30pm on the last Friday of every month, outside the art gallery at the foot of the mound, It appears to be growing in numbers and enthusiasm as the warmer and lighter seasons approach.

Southend: Hundreds gather to oppose controversial F5 road widening

As promised by local campaigners, and expected by the wider public, hundreds of local people converged upon Southend Civic Centre this evening for the ‘Parkrally’, to oppose controversial plans to widen the A127/A1159 Priory Crescent, or ‘scheme F5’ as it has come to be known.
The event follows the recent ‘storming’ of the British Archaeological Awards celebration at Prittlewell Priory in January(1), when dozens of local residents disrupted an invite only ‘wine and cheese’ event held for local dignitaries, in celebration of the discovery of the East Saxon king’s burial, which would be destroyed, should the £25m road scheme get the go ahead.

Feelings continue to run high, with majority public opposition to the scheme repeatedly being shown by local groups, and press, six years into the campaign to stop the road.
Speaking from the steps of the Civic Centre, where a meeting of the full Council was taking place inside, campaigner and local resident Shaun Qureshi said, ‘Southend Borough Council are either somehow still ignorant of the fact that so many people continue to demonstrate, or they are arrogant enough to feel that they can simply push us aside.
‘They have only time and silence on their side, and the commonly held misconception that the scheme has already been canned by the Department for Transport, who would be required to provide the funding. The feeling that the scheme will not now go ahead is due to the delay in anyone in authority either taking any responsibility, or coming to a decision on the issue.
‘However, recent events have proven that despite this, significant numbers of the local public can still be mobilised to take action, that we do have majority support, and should the go-ahead be given, that there will be outrage across the town if attempts are made to evict Camp Bling, concrete over the burial or to destroy yet another green space.’(2)
A decision to fund the road widening has been awaited from the DfT since a local Public Inquiry took place in March 2004. Information from the East of England Regional Partnership Group shows that costs have now risen to an estimated £25m for the 870 metre length of carriageway (3), making it potentially, ‘The most expensive stretch of road in the world.’(4)
—————————————————————-
ENDS.

NOTES TO EDITORS:
1 British Archaeological Awards 2006:
www.britarch.ac.uk/awards/winners2006.html
2 Camp Bling website: www.savepriorypark.org
3 East of England Regional Partnership Group regional funding allocations advice to Government report January 2006, page 25:
http://www.eera.gov.uk/Documents/About%20EERA/Policy/Regional%20Governance/Regional%20Funding%20Allocations/Final%20EoE%20RFA%20300106.pdf
4 Southend Evening Echo Monday 13th February 2006

Manchester Critical Mass and benefit gig

Friday 23rd February. Meet at 6pm as usual by the central library for a bike ride round our city which will then go to the Rampant Lion, Anson Rd/ Upper Brook St, Victoria Park (paralel to wilmslow road) starting at 8pm

Bands include Sweating Cobs, Burnst, Run Like Hell, Cash for Your Stories, Stray Dog Cafe and MC Flipflop. Plus DJs playing ska, reggae and d+b til 2am.

Djs playing reggae, punk and ska til 2am a £3 donation to critical mass would be lovely

Critical Mass is a bicycle ride that happens every last Friday of the month at 6pm from Central Library

We cycle round the city to celebrate the bicycle:

It’s for anyone that rides a bike;
Its a celebration of getting round the city without polluting it;
Its about every journey being an adventure instead of just sitting
on a boring bus or in a stressful car;
Its about cyclists riding together to demand more respect from other road users;
Its a way to meet other cyclistas;

also at that time on friday hundreds of cities around the world do the same thing…all get together for critical mass. its beautiful to know that as you ride with your mates through your own city that all around the world thousands of people are doing the same thing..

The destruction of primeval Rospuda Valley is approaching! React!

The last moment to step in and stop the destruction of primeval swamps and forest in Central Europe: the Rospuda Valley Bypass. A letter by Adam

Dear Ladies and Sirs,

I do not know if You are aware that Poland is building a road through a part of Europe’s last primeval forest- the Rospuda Valley Bypass.

The last moment to step in and stop the destruction of primeval swamps and forest in Central Europe: the Rospuda Valley Bypass. A letter by Adam

Dear Ladies and Sirs,

I do not know if You are aware that Poland is building a road through a part of Europe’s last primeval forest- the Rospuda Valley Bypass.

The primeval swamps in pictures:
http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=rospuda%20valley&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

The investment is contradictory to EU regulations on preparation of transport investments, however, the Commision has not informed yet about the results of the inquiry, nor threatened the Polish government with penalties high enough to deter it from running the most controversial transport investment in Europe without having the decision process inspected by the EU.

Concerning thae whole decision process that took place, never in my life have I seen less democratic procedure. There was not a correct transport investment appraisal procedure, nor any democratic dispute or public inquiry. It was all done as in a totalitarian state.

There were two variants that were saving the valley: one- the Chodorki variant, and second one- the Augustów Eastern Bypass variant. Both were left out of transport appraisal procedure due to no clear reason except for wish to manipulate with the results to support one particular variant that was destroying the nature but was saving the paperwork needed to buy out the plots of land from local peasants.There is no other argument in choice of this particular corridor than the savings in paperwork!

Herewith I accuse Polish government of willfull manipulation with the data in order to protect incompetence of the people who prepared this investment. In my opinion the formal documents were prepared after the decision has been taken, and their goal was not to find the best bypass variant, but to justify exactly this option by strategic manipulating with the choice of variants analysed.

The variants included by government:
http://www.transpolska.most.org.pl/rozpuda/warianty2.jpg

The variants excluded from formal appraisal:
http://www.transpolska.most.org.pl/rozpuda/warianty2.jpg
http://www.transpolska.most.org.pl/rozpuda/warianty4.jpg

I would like to inform You that now it is expected that within no more than a week the trees will be chopped off. I think that You should act promptly enough, if You want to save the valley.

Adam, Transpolska

Earlier documents on the issue:
1. UK Indymedia – EMERGENCY ACTION: WE NEED 100 HARDCORE DIRECT …

“The bulldozers will start destroying the Rospuda Valley wetlands – unless they meet … The Rospuda Valley is a natural treasure, protected by Nature 2000. …”

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/362519.html

2. UK Indymedia – Polish ultracatholic government is building a road …

“In the first step of the Via Baltica corridor the by-pass of Augustów through the Rospuda Valley will be built. Currently it is the the most controversial …”

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/355034.html?c=on

Transpolska
http://www.transpolska.most.org.pl/

M1 widening actions pigged

Police News Management, Incompetence and Poor Attitude To Peaceful Protest Exposed After They Prevent Peaceful Climate Camp Action With Massive Over Reaction

Today, Monday 19th of February, peaceful protesters from the Camp For Climate Action had planned a series of events to highlight the environmental cost of widening the M1. Unfortunately, a massive police presence, totally out of proportion to the proposed protest, appears to have contributed to massive tail-backs on the motorway near Sheffield. The protesters decided not to go ahead with their event after being offered a ridiculously limited space in which to make their point and no protester actions took place at any time. At no point did any of them approach close to the motorway, and they could not have therefore caused the tailbacks as the Police suggested to local radio. In fact, there had been an accident on that stretch, which combined with the roadworks and the police presence, was probably the cause of the delays.

Police News Management, Incompetence and Poor Attitude To Peaceful Protest Exposed After They Prevent Peaceful Climate Camp Action With Massive Over Reaction

In a second embarrassing mistake, the Police seem to have believed that the action had been planned by the No M1 Widening Campaign. In fact, the Camp For Climate Action was solely responsible. The police probably don’t realise the link between traffic growth and worsening climate change which threatens us all.

Sam Nexter said “Tony Blair has claimed that the government is taking climate change seriously but billions of pounds of taxpayer’s money is now being wasted on a scheme that will do nothing to ease congestion but will increase emissions. There are much more effective and economic ways to tackle congestion such as improving public transport and transferring freight onto the railways.”

“Its mad that, on top of paying for dangerous motorway building, money is also wasted paying large numbers of police to sit around in vans.” he added.

The work to widen this stretch of M1 started a month ago, and work on the section between junction 6a-10 is already well under way. In total 115 miles of the M1 is due to be widened from the M25 to Milton Keynes and from Leicester to Leeds, costing a total of over £3.74 billion. Many people believe the widening will allow traffic to grow, causing more CO2 emissions. Road transport already accounts for 21% of emissions in the UK and rises every year.

info@climatecamp.org.uk
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk