Representation by Anna Girolami
- Date submitted
- 14 September 2021
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I would like the following issues to be considered: We are supposed to be reducing emissions, for the sake of people’s health and to try and get to Net Zero. This plan would actually increase traffic (and therefore emissions). It makes a mockery of national policies for climate change and the country’s attempt to shift to walking, cycling and public transport, rather than road transport. The scheme is completely out of sync with growing concern about climate change. It would add so much carbon dioxide to the atmosphere that it would take nearly half a million trees a hundred years to remove it. Surely this goes against both the Paris Agreement and our own Climate Change Act? The increase in emissions will only be detrimental to the health of many of the people who live in the area. Air pollution improves for in some areas but worsens in others e.g. on Market Street in Hollingworth. The scheme also impacts badly on wildlife (protected species of bats and owls) and habitats such as wet grazing meadows. Much-loved and highly-valued local countryside would be urbanised and the Green Belt would be cut in two. As a High Peak resident, I am also concerned about safety. Any benefits to Mottram come at the expense of the rest of Glossopdale which would suffer traffic increases on many residential roads. Road accidents are likely to become more common. Snake Pass is already a high risk road for serious accidents and work has shown that this scheme would lead to 160 extra collisions on that road over the next 60 years. A lorry ban together with sustainable transport measures could bring lasting benefits and avoid the problems outlines above. Why has Highways England rejected this option? Surely the events of the last few years - particularly the declaration of a climate emergency - make consideration of this option an urgent priority?