# Remembering Twyford Down (M3) road protest



## editor (Mar 5, 2009)

It seems like an eternity ago now but at the time it was a mighty important battle against the Tories' plans to implement "The biggest road-building programme since the Romans."

Anyone here go along?



> In December 1991 Twyford Down became the site of the UK's first road protest camp when environmentalists, including members of Dongas and Earth First! gathered to hinder work. After a year this first camp was evicted on Yellow Wednesday, named after the uniforms of the Group4 security guards who performed the eviction in December 1992.
> 
> Resistance to the road intensified and Earth First! set up a new protest camp nearby in Plague Pits Valley, and continued to obstruct the work both on the water meadows and up on the Down itself. In addition to many actions there was a mass trespass when over 5000 people attended the protests and occupations, and six people were sent to prison for some weeks for defying an earlier injunction not to enter the site.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twyford_Down


Few pics here: http://www.urban75.org/photos/protest/twy00.html

I've still got a 'do not trespass' sign from the site in my bathroom!


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## Bakunin (Mar 5, 2009)

I don't remember too much about Twyford Down, but I work with someone who was at Fairmile. He knew the legendary 'Swampy' quite well.


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## Belushi (Mar 5, 2009)

I got offered a 'security' job doing the road protests around that time, didn take it though, they were a right bunch of meatheads.


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## chilango (Mar 5, 2009)

Yeah.

I was at that rally/trespass you have photos of.


Seems a lifetime ago now.


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## skyscraper101 (Mar 5, 2009)

There was a show on TV all about it on BBC4 last night 'Secret Life Of The Motorway'

Some interesting stories - including that one.


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## beesonthewhatnow (Mar 5, 2009)

'91 was a bit early for me, but I was digging tunnels at the BNRR (M6 toll) site) in '98 

http://www.urban75.org/archive/news034.html


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## Blagsta (Mar 5, 2009)

I went to a couple of actions at Twyford Down.


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## zenie (Mar 5, 2009)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> '91 was a bit early for me, but I was digging tunnels at the BNRR (M6 toll) site) in '98
> 
> http://www.urban75.org/archive/news034.html


 

This is gonna sound terrible but did you meet someone called Bean there?


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## Piers Gibbon (Mar 5, 2009)

i remember that protest on the boiling hot day! on our way there in the big coach from london we got caught in a traffic jam - oh the irony - and to get us there quicker the driver went on to the hard shoulder (to huge cheers)


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## editor (Mar 5, 2009)

Piers Gibbon said:


> i remember that protest on the boiling hot day! on our way there in the big coach from london we got caught in a traffic jam - oh the irony - and to get us there quicker the driver went on to the hard shoulder (to huge cheers)


It was unbelievably hot!


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## chilango (Mar 5, 2009)

Piers Gibbon said:


> i remember that protest on the boiling hot day! on our way there in the big coach from london we got caught in a traffic jam - oh the irony - and to get us there quicker the driver went on to the hard shoulder (to huge cheers)



A coach!!!

We hatched with bongos and a sign reading merely "Twyford Down". Cue many interesting conversations with our rides...


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## Piers Gibbon (Mar 5, 2009)

and I remember Joan Bakewell was filming there...I don't remember a Heart of The Matter coming out about it


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## chilango (Mar 5, 2009)

Piers Gibbon said:


> and I remember Joan Bakewell was filming there...I don't remember a Heart of The Matter coming out about it



it did.

Friends of mine watched it.

I was featured on it pulling up the fence just before we all piled down into the cutting.

I'd love to see that footage...


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## beesonthewhatnow (Mar 5, 2009)

zenie said:


> This is gonna sound terrible but did you meet someone called Bean there?



Not that I remember, but that doesn't mean much as my memory is fucked, particularly from stuff around that time


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## JeniD (Mar 10, 2009)

editor said:


> It seems like an eternity ago now but at the time it was a mighty important battle against the Tories' plans to implement "The biggest road-building programme since the Romans."
> 
> Anyone here go along?
> 
> ...



I cringe when the coach goes through it on the way back to town.  I'm showing my age now!


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## Cobbles (Mar 10, 2009)

So - did they build the motorway, then?


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## Blagsta (Mar 10, 2009)

don't you ever get bored of it?


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## FiFi (Mar 10, 2009)

Cobbles said:


> So - did they build the motorway, then?



I hope you're joking. 

Some of us cared enougth about our enviroment to make a stand about this issue, so please don't belittle it.


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## Cobbles (Mar 10, 2009)

FiFi said:


> I hope you're joking.
> 
> Some of us cared enougth about our enviroment to make a stand about this issue, so please don't belittle it.



What was the point in the "protest" if it didn't accomplish anything?


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## Blagsta (Mar 10, 2009)

Cobbles said:


> What was the point in the "protest" if it didn't accomplish anything?



bored yet?


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## FiFi (Mar 10, 2009)

Oh Lord 

The point was to show the strength of feeling, that people cared enough to make a stand.

Yes, the road eventually got built, but hopefully planning decisions are more carefully considered now because of the history of protest.


To be honest, it's not the first time (or the last) I've been involved in causes that appear to "fail" to some extent. 
I don't see that as a reason not to bother!


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## free spirit (Mar 10, 2009)

Cobbles said:


> What was the point in the "protest" if it didn't accomplish anything?


it was part of a series of protests that led to the abandoning of a huge road building programme that would have seen lots of other areas of ancient woodland, SSSI's etc. destroyed, as well as leading to car culture becoming even more entrenched in the urban infrastructure / planning....

so while it didn't stop that specific bypass being built, it's not true to say it didn't achieve anything.


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## Cobbles (Mar 10, 2009)

free spirit said:


> so while it didn't stop that specific bypass being built, it's not true to say it didn't achieve anything.



Did it stop the M77?

It's about time someone got on with completing the UK road network - for example, it's a disgrace that there's no motorway link from Edinburgh to England. Maybe the Government'll come to its senses and institute a major road building programme to jump start the construction industry and create some real jobs as opposed to legions of outreach diversity team leaders.


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## Blagsta (Mar 10, 2009)

Cobbles said:


> Did it stop the M77?



still at it?


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## TheDave (Mar 10, 2009)

I'm now imagining Celtic people protesting the roads being built in Roman occupied Britain.


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## Bakunin (Mar 10, 2009)

Cobbles said:


> Did it stop the M77?
> 
> It's about time someone got on with completing the UK road network - for example, it's a disgrace that there's no motorway link from Edinburgh to England. Maybe the Government'll come to its senses and institute a major road building programme to jump start the construction industry and create some real jobs as opposed to legions of outreach diversity team leaders.



And 'Daily Mail Man' strikes again!


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## TheDave (Mar 10, 2009)

Building new roads when nobody is buying cars.

Smart.


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## Cobbles (Mar 11, 2009)

TheDave said:


> Building new roads when nobody is buying cars.
> 
> Smart.



Isn't the conventional bollocks, "build it and they will come".

Don't new roads attract legions of new drivers who never existed before or some such drivel?

Government should learn from history - a massive road building scheme  boosted the economy in Hitler's Germany in the 30's.

The Labour crackdown on shirkers and malingerers should help cull the pointless protestors - after all,you can't claim that you were available to work whilst chained to a tree house or that you were physically unable to work whilst asaulting court staff serving eviction papers.

For those of us still able to afford motoring despite the predations of Tony and Gordo's constant cash raids, the space on these fine new pieces of National infrastructure will be delightful.


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## rover07 (Mar 11, 2009)

TheDave said:


> I'm now imagining Celtic people protesting the roads being built in Roman occupied Britain.



Yeah i thought that too


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## derf (Mar 11, 2009)

editor said:


> I've still got a 'do not trespass' sign from the site in my bathroom!



Toss it out you dirty sod. 




			
				Cobbles said:
			
		

> What was the point in the "protest" if it didn't accomplish anything?






			
				JeniD said:
			
		

> I cringe when the coach goes through it on the way back to town



Didn't stop the road but did it do any good in the long run?
To answer, yes, you have to say if effected the planning of new roads and changed public opinion.

Do you think that you did?

I don't think that this type of protest is much good and don't think it will ever really make much difference to anyone or the planet.

I do agree with environmental issues but think that efforts would be better directed in trying to get new power sources for motor vehicles.

There are a new breed of electric motorbikes slowly coming into use out here now. Coupled with power generated by geothermal and hydro out here these have the potential to make a real difference in both the local pollution from vehicles and general pollution on a larger scale.

Not that I'm knocking your efforts as such, just the direction you decided to take.


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## derf (Mar 11, 2009)

TheDave said:


> Building new roads when nobody is buying cars.
> 
> Smart.



Near sighted I'm afraid.
Cars will sell again in the near future.


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## Bahnhof Strasse (Mar 11, 2009)

Was there.

Also went to a fucking blinding rave at the camp, in an open barn with monster rig, cracking weather then too. 

Met David Bellamy there, he basically disappeared from our screens for over 10 years due to his stance at Twyford.

And whilst the road connection was needed, (remember how bad the jams were as you came towards Winchester), a tunnel would have been perfect.


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## editor (Mar 11, 2009)

derf said:


> I do agree with environmental issues but think that efforts would be better directed in trying to get new power sources for motor vehicles.


So exactly how would that tackle the growing congestion clogging up the roads, or the need to keep constructing yet more roads to accommodate this traffic?

More cars = more environmental destruction, so we should be looking at dramatically reducing car use not encouraging it.


derf said:


> Didn't stop the road but did it do any good in the long run?
> To answer, yes, you have to say if effected the planning of new roads and changed public opinion.
> 
> Do you think that you did?.


Absolutely. The road protest movement caused a sea change in the road building program. Proposed roads were cancelled and the government forced to look at alternatives.


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## Cobbles (Mar 11, 2009)

editor said:


> So exactly how would that tackle the growing congestion clogging up the roads, or the need to keep constructing yet more roads to accommodate this traffic?



There's a finite limit to the number of vehicles that could be on the roads (unless someone comes up with a way for people to drive multiple vehicles simultaneously.

All we need to do is build a road system to cater for that capacity, rather than endlessly trying to play catch-up and artificially trying to price users off the roads (a woefully unsuccessful strategy).


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## free spirit (Mar 13, 2009)

Cobbles said:


> Did it stop the M77?
> 
> It's about time someone got on with completing the UK road network - for example, it's a disgrace that there's no motorway link from Edinburgh to England. Maybe the Government'll come to its senses and institute a major road building programme to jump start the construction industry and create some real jobs as opposed to legions of outreach diversity team leaders.


tbf a motorway from edinburgh to england would be huge overkill - it's currently served by 2 a roads that both go down to single carriageways for much of the route, and most of the time they're not massively busy.

I'd fully support dualing of at least certain bits of that route though, but as someone who's driven that route a lot, I really can't see the need for a motorway there.


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## Stigmata (Mar 15, 2009)

I was too young to be involved, but I live just around the corner from the bypass. It's hideous, and what's worse is that you can still get a good idea of what the Down looked like before. Which I don't remember because I must have been five years old when they started building.


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## Edie (Mar 20, 2009)

I was there that day. I was 14 years old and hitched there. Anyone else remember, before we set off, that loads of balls of wool were chucked around to create this huge kind of web? It was hot hot hot. I still have a massive bolt from one of the unfinished motorway barriers and I still remember the shock of seeing the cut through the downs.


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## editor (Mar 20, 2009)

Cobbles said:


> There's a finite limit to the number of vehicles that could be on the roads (unless someone comes up with a way for people to drive multiple vehicles simultaneously.


Try reading some studies sunshine: you'll find that opening up new roads _increases_ car use.


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## Cobbles (Mar 20, 2009)

editor said:


> Try reading some studies sunshine: you'll find that opening up new roads _increases_ car use.



*If* that's the case then it's just a question of satisfying latent demand - e.g. "_Thank Christ I don't have to suffer on public transport any more_ now I can use the new road". This is why we need to build more capacity than we need now - bearing in mind that people can't ever drive two cars simultaneously and not everyone can afford to have one - e.g. many 4 year olds with little or no independent income would find it difficult to fund the purchase and ongoing maintenance.

Having said that, not everyone can afford to spend 70 quid on a pair of "Designer" gym shoes but that doesn't mean that their sale should be banned.


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## editor (Mar 20, 2009)

Cobbles said:


> *If* that's the case then it's just a question of satisfying latent demand - e.g. "_Thank Christ I don't have to suffer on public transport any more_ now I can use the new road". This is why we need to build more capacity than we need now - bearing in mind that people can't ever drive two cars simultaneously and not everyone can afford to have one - e.g. many 4 year olds with little or no independent income would find it difficult to fund the purchase and ongoing maintenance..


Earth calling Cobbles. Global warming is upon us. The countryside is being churned up for new roads. People are growing obese. Children are getting ill on car fumes and congestion continues to blight cities and villages.

We need less cars, less roads, less tarmac, less pollution, less fossil fuels being burnt and more walking, cycling and public transport.

Sorry if that upsets your insane, head-in-the-sand, endless road building utopia, but these are the facts.

I've no idea what trainers have got to do with anything, but they sure cost a lot less than a car.


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## upsidedownwalrus (Mar 20, 2009)

editor said:


> It seems like an eternity ago now but at the time it was a mighty important battle against the Tories' plans to implement "The biggest road-building programme since the Romans."
> 
> Anyone here go along?
> 
> ...



I miss those days of internal british protest and so on.


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