Focus of work
Oxfordshire Roads Action Alliance (ORAA) is a community alliance and campaign group working to promote sustainable transport and prevent unsuitable road development in Oxfordshire. FIT funded ORAA in 2023 to help with its activities relating to the HIF1 scheme, a costly 9-mile road scheme dubbed “the road to nowhere” near Didcot.
Activities undertaken by ORAA include:
- Building alliances with like-minded groups and by holding seminars with expert speakers on various transport initiatives to disseminate information to the public on sustainable transport and climate friendly alternatives.
- Writing articles and press releases and maintaining a blog on matters of public interest relating to road building schemes and transport.
- Appearing on the BBC, ITV Meridian and on radio to promote its objectives and alert the public to the folly of existing proposals.
- Speaking at County Council and District Council meetings and submitting papers and objections on planning applications.
Impact
Stop the Road Jack! has worked with advisors and Rule 6 parties to build a strong case against the HIF1 road scheme.
It has:
- Engaged legal and planning experts to submit a professional rebuttal of OCC’s plans
- Supported an expert witness and local witnesses to challenge HIF1 and exploit its many weaknesses at the inquiry
- Featured in the Oxford Mail
- Gathered support from Oxford Civic Society, Oxfordshire CPRE, and other local groups
- Held a seminar with Create Streets and Transport for New Homes, with 30 participants joining to discuss the alternatives to road building.