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Road protesters go below ground in the 'second battle of Hastings' Road protesters go below ground in the 'second battle of Hastings'
(35 minutes later)
Under a blue tarpaulin at the foot of the protest camp, Simon "Sitting Bull" is having a brief break from tunnel digging. "There are three different types of tunnel that you use in anti-roads protests," he explains showing off his handiwork. "Opencast, doored and shored, and tight and nasty. This one is tight and nasty."Under a blue tarpaulin at the foot of the protest camp, Simon "Sitting Bull" is having a brief break from tunnel digging. "There are three different types of tunnel that you use in anti-roads protests," he explains showing off his handiwork. "Opencast, doored and shored, and tight and nasty. This one is tight and nasty."
With his head-light he illuminates about four feet of tunnel, which divides at the end to the left and to the right. "Not going to tell you how much further it goes. Sorry." With his head torch he illuminates about four feet of tunnel, which divides at the end to the left and to the right. "Not going to tell you how much further it goes. Sorry."
Sitting Bull's excavations are part of what is being referred to by his fellow protesters as "the second battle of Hastings". The protest, which saw two arrests on Monday, aims to halt the construction of the planned Bexhill-Hastings link road in East Sussex and is part of a wave of protests against the government's road-building programme. The road will be just over three miles long, linking up the B2092 to the A259, and will cost, according to most estimates, at least £86m, although the costs of security are already creeping upwards.Sitting Bull's excavations are part of what is being referred to by his fellow protesters as "the second battle of Hastings". The protest, which saw two arrests on Monday, aims to halt the construction of the planned Bexhill-Hastings link road in East Sussex and is part of a wave of protests against the government's road-building programme. The road will be just over three miles long, linking up the B2092 to the A259, and will cost, according to most estimates, at least £86m, although the costs of security are already creeping upwards.
On Monday around 30 to 40 protesters at two locations on the proposed route were preventing around a dozen contractors from cutting down trees. At one site three activists dangled from a giant oak, while at another, two people were constructing rope walks between neighbouring trees. The contractors were accompanied by around 30 security guards who are in an uneasy stand-off with the protesters – not confronting them directly or attempting to remove them from the trees but trying to prevent them from occupying new ground. Police at the scene were standing well back and did not intervene.On Monday around 30 to 40 protesters at two locations on the proposed route were preventing around a dozen contractors from cutting down trees. At one site three activists dangled from a giant oak, while at another, two people were constructing rope walks between neighbouring trees. The contractors were accompanied by around 30 security guards who are in an uneasy stand-off with the protesters – not confronting them directly or attempting to remove them from the trees but trying to prevent them from occupying new ground. Police at the scene were standing well back and did not intervene.
The proposed link road described last year by the Campaign for Better Transport as "the most environmentally harmful and least economically justifiable road scheme currently being proposed in England". Even the Department of Transport thinks the scheme risks being poor value for money. The proposed link road described last year by the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) as "the most environmentally harmful and least economically justifiable road scheme currently being proposed in England". Even the Department of Transport thinks the scheme risks being poor value for money.
There is, however, plenty of local support for the link road. The local MP Amber Rudd, who is also George Osborne's parliamentary private secretary, says it "will be an important part of the regeneration of the town, opening up a new area for employment and houses". Dennis Haffenden, a local resident watching the protest, says residents support the road. "It will ease up the traffic through here, it gets really bad sometimes." In one of the most deprived parts of the south east – nearly 29% of children in nearby Hastings are classed as living in poverty, according to figures by campaigners – some argue that absolutely any economic investment is a good thing. There is, however, plenty of local support for the link road. The local MP Amber Rudd, who is also George Osborne's parliamentary private secretary, says it "will be an important part of the regeneration of the town, opening up a new area for employment and houses". Dennis Haffenden, a local resident watching the protest, says residents support the road. "It will ease up the traffic through here, it gets really bad sometimes."
In one of the most deprived parts of the south-east – nearly 29% of children in nearby Hastings are classed as living in poverty, according to figures by campaigners – some argue that absolutely any economic investment is a good thing.
But campaigners believe that the funding – nearly half of which must come from local taxpayers – would be much better invested in public transport, housing infrastructure or other local projects. The county council is "already planning to cut £34m from adult social care, and £14m from children's services," points out the protester Abby Nicol.But campaigners believe that the funding – nearly half of which must come from local taxpayers – would be much better invested in public transport, housing infrastructure or other local projects. The county council is "already planning to cut £34m from adult social care, and £14m from children's services," points out the protester Abby Nicol.
And the Bexhill battle may be just the beginning of a national anti-roads campaign. In December George Osborne announced a £1bn national road-building push as part of his autumn statement. In response, Campaign for Better Transport released a report highlighting 191 road schemes around the country, and held a nationwide conference to bring campaigners together and to organise resistance. The Bexhill road is among the very first to break ground, but, says the CBT road campaigner Siân Berry, "it won't be the last. We warned last year that there would be resistance. We think we'll see more and more of these protests as the road building schemes get under way." And the Bexhill battle may be just the beginning of a national anti-roads campaign. In December, Osborne announced a £1bn national road-building push as part of his autumn statement. In response, CBT released a report highlighting 191 road schemes around the country, and held a nationwide conference to bring campaigners together and to organise resistance. The Bexhill road is among the very first to break ground, but, says the CBT road campaigner Siân Berry, it won't be the last. "We warned last year that there would be resistance. We think we'll see more and more of these protests as the road building schemes get under way."
Back at the site, where the protesters claim to have dug new tunnels, one of the protesters who gave her name as Indiana is watching as the contractors lop branches off a vast oak. "That tree is ancient," she says. "You need four people to get your arms around it." Does she think they will be able to stop the road being built? "What you have to understand is that it's not about just one tree, however beautiful it is, or about one road. We want to stop all of Osborne's roads. It's about hundreds of roads and thousands of trees." Back at the site, where the protesters claim to have dug new tunnels, one of the protesters who gave her name as Indiana is watching as the contractors lop branches off a vast oak. "That tree is ancient," she says. "You need four people to get your arms around it." Does she think they will be able to stop the road being built?
"What you have to understand is that it's not about just one tree, however beautiful it is, or about one road. We want to stop all of Osborne's roads. It's about hundreds of roads and thousands of trees."