Enderby EYE

the village ...and beyond

Motorway Action Group ask: How fair is this?

Meeting planned for 16th March

04 February 2008 [Contributor: Mich Bingham]

Graphic: Enderby EYE

At the beginning of the month Shell Petroleum hit the headlines by setting a new UK profit record of £13.9bn, whilst motorists in the UK are forced to pay ever rising pump prices.

What many of us forget is that this affects everything we purchase in the shops.

Shell say that much of the rise in profits has been attributed to rising oil prices, not profits from fuel.

So why are pump prices so high?

That's because of Government tax which currently stands at 65%. In 2007/08, vehicle excise duty raised £5.1bn, road fuel duties raised £23.2bn that is a massive £28.3bn in one year.

One might argue that it is very expensive, maintaining our roads. Not at all, the total expenditure on roas in the UK was £8.0bn. So what has happened to the other £20.3bn?

Many residents of Enderby, Narborough and Cosby, suffer ever increasing noise and air pollution as a direct result of the M1 Motorway, we have campaigned to have environmental barriers erected alongside residential properties, two miles south of junction 21.

We want our basic human rights restored and a reasonable quality of life. The Government and the Highways Agency are aware of our problem and say that they are very sympathetic.

The Highways Agency say that they cannot erect these barriers because there is no funding available, yet they spend thousands of pounds of tax payers money on Consultants who confirm the severity of the problem, then the Highways Agency ignore their recommendations, in favour of the cheaper option, to resurface the road with noise reducing asphalt.

This product has no significant impact on high noise levels, the margin is further reduced by the ever increasing traffic flow.

The cost of environmental barriers for this stretch of the Motorway was under £500,000, a poultry figure compared to the £20.3bn unaccounted for Government profit. How fair is this?

When will Government realise that charity begins at home. They have a responsibility to the people of the UK, to put a bit more money back into maintaining our roads.

The monies spent on Consultants would be better used to advise on reducing traffic, particularly the rise of HGVs by 14% in the six year period since 1998.

Reducing road fuel duties would in turn reduce living expenditure and give us all a better standard of living.

Does it make your blood boil?

The Motorway Action Group for Enderby and Narborough are looking for like minded, fellow sufferers to help and support with the battle for environmental barriers.

We are an active bunch who hold monthly meetings and anyone interested would be welcome to come along to meet members and find out more about our group and the progress we have already made.

A Group meeting will be held at St Johns Community Centre, Packhorse Drive, Enderby on Sunday 16th March 2008 at 10:30am.

Mich Bingham, (Secretary).

Associated links:

» Shell UK

» Highways Agency

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