Focus of work
The Stop the A38 Expansion campaign is raising awareness of the damage the proposed new road scheme will cause to the environment and wildlife.
The road works alone will create a shocking 131,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, will destroy thousands of trees, several hectares of wildlife habitat and public open spaces. It will also increase air pollution levels in many areas.
The main purpose of the scheme is to increase capacity, and to open up more land for over 11,000 car-dependent developments near the A38. This campaign will educate residents in Derby and Derbyshire about the ongoing climate and biodiversity crisis, as well as the urgent need for sustainable planning and infrastructure.
The campaign will raise awareness about the alternatives to road building and car-dependent housing estates as a way to ease congestion, such as more integrated public transport links and active travel infrastructure.
This campaign will produce leaflets, posters, banners and social media adverts. They will also set up a website and create a short video.
Impact
In 2021, the group successfully stopped the scheme with a legal challenge after they objected during the examination phase on climate and carbon grounds. The Rt Hon. Grant Shapps admitted he had acted unlawfully when he approved the scheme, as he failed to consider the environmental impact. He then said he would redetermine the application, and invited interested parties to submit evidence about the scheme.
The scheme was supposed to start work in 2021 and be completed by 2024. But their campaign has stopped the scheme and so far saved thousands of trees and wildlife habitat, while keeping carbon out of the atmosphere.
Unfortunately, the Government approved the A38 Expansion again in August 2023. The campaign launched another crowdfunder for a second legal challenge, because the scheme’s economic assessment is out of date. They raised an incredible total of over £50,000 to hire legal experts, to help stop the expansion for good.
If the group is successful in stopping the A38 road scheme going ahead, other similar destructive and polluting road schemes around the UK may also be cancelled. They hope this will give people across the country the motivation and incentive to defend the trees and wildlife habitats where they live. This will prompt the Government to listen and put the climate and biodiversity crisis, not unsustainable economic growth, at the heart of everything it does.
Follow their progress: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/stop-the-a38-road-expansion-for-good/