Not sure if the Real Player version of the video clip will download - here's a smaller Windows Media version.

Trees are living things cars are not. It ought to be that easy for people in South Wales to understand. Of course we are dealing with pols who lack fore and after sight. People and their things can move freely trees cannot. Trees have real meaning roads do not. Cordley Garmany Coit

Cordley - the people of South Wales are well aware of this. If you'd watched the video you'd have seen the local lad commenting that there were 4,500 signatures against the road being built (and Blackwood is a fairly small town). The local community has been engaged in fighting this road for 11 years, but they have had it imposed on them by a system of government infatuated with oil and war. The reason why direct action is happening now is because "democracy" has once again been shown up for the sham it is.

This was just posted on Bristol Indymedia, but I thought I'd c&p it here for added benefit.  http://bristol.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=12961&group=webcast

"Just got back god this is really like the old days. So easy to do stuff here come ON! I know other sites need help too but so do we....and work is happening here NOW chainsaws here NOW machinery arriving NOW.

The woods needless to say are massive ancient and beautiful. Masses done over the weekend some walkaeways up more section 6-ed areas including one right in the middle of the main access route in hahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Camp getting consolidted. Yoghurt being woven. So easy to stop work with just a handful of people who know what they are doing. Stopped all work completely today we are currently running rings around costain. If we keep on the offensive like this then its all to play for.

Unbelievable local support never seen anything like it ever, and i'm an old fart :-)
Dormice found on route this strengthens case for european court appeal which is currently going through (yes the f-ers are felling despite the decision not being in yet)
We currently have the tactical advantage but not for long unless numbers pick up. Ring camp mobile for update
07708 420446
usual suspect x"

If you want to read a St. David's Wood campaigning story that I submitted to the BBC & got published please go here:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/yoursay/topics/news.shtml

and feel free to add comments in the 'Your Say' section at the bottom of the page.

Bard

Latest news from the camp tonight is that the squatters there have been served with IPO's, and are expecting evictions to start taking place tomorrow. More police attention has been focussed on the site, with FIT people up trying to get pictures of the protestors, while the local community continue to provide an amazing level of support.

If anyone can offer (legal) advice with regard to the procedure of evicting the squatted areas, they are invited to call the camp phone on 07952 774525.

Anyone else who is free to get to the site should try to arrive as early as possible tomorrow to help with the defence of the site.

Urgent high court injunction
Press release

New Harry Potter ruling used by contractors Costain, and Caerphilly Borough Council against Blackwood roads protesters to secure a High Court “interim injunction” on protest camp.
Eviction could now be imminent. However protestors are currently seeking legal advice regarding the legality of the eviction procedure and the order arising from it.

On 9th February at the High Court in London Mr Justice Blackburn heard, and granted, an ex parte application on behalf of claimants Costain and Caerphilly County Council against a “wide category” of defendants at the Blackwood protest camp, South Wales, on the basis of a witness statement given by a Mr. Richard Randall.

Justice Blackburn granted the interim injunction which is based on a new ruling in the Harry Potter Bloomsbury case. The injunction means that persons entering or remaining in a specified area (the threatened woodland at Blackwood, in this case) can be immediately removed.

Veteran roads campaigner Holly said:
“this is an extremely spurious bit of legislation and has been rubber- stamped without protestors being given the option of seeking legal advice or even being informed in advance. The test case on the basis of which this injunction has been granted was a very different set of circumstances and Costain and Caerphilly council would be well advised to seek further legal advice. We are staying put- Voldermort’s mates can bugger off!”


To contact Blackwood protest camp direct please phone 07952 774525
Editors notes
For background information on the Blackwood protest see  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/02/285042.html
Work has already started on part of the Blackwood site, an ancient woodland with a local campaign history going back ten years. The European Court has yet to reach a decision regarding an appeal. Protestors have set up camp and “section six”-ed off areas of woodland declaring them to be legal dwellings, a classic squatter’s rights law which has been used by all road protest camps such as Newbury.

The camp in St.Davids Woods has been set up on privately owned land. It apparently is land that Costain have the right to use to access the land on which they are planning to build the new road.The landowner has explained that only the land between the yellow markers in the area has been bought for developement. The camp is set up between yellow and blue markers, an area which Costain claim to have rights over for 'easement' purposes, but are hoping to be awarded under CPO.

At this time if the camp is evicted the residents will be being evicted from private land but NOT by the landowner.

Can Costain and/or the local council there evict a camp from private land which has not yet been awarded to them under CPO ?

Anybody got any experience of this sort of situation ?

Thanks,
Kate.

but if anyone has info on Kate's question, this seems to be a very important point!
best of luck + love and light!

Work begins on controversial bypass
Jan 28 2004
Daniel Davies, The Western Mail
 http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/page.cfm?objectid=1386%204072&method=full&siteid=50082

WORK on a controversial road through ancient woodland has begun.

A decade-long protest came to an end last week when Caerphilly County Borough Council signed a contract with Sirhowy Enterprise Way to begin work on a £38m bypass around Blackwood.

Campaigners say they have been contacted by activists who threaten to confront road workers at St David's Wood.

Messages from tree protestors appealing for action appeared on the internet yesterday.

The road has been opposed throughout by local people including Irene Jones, mother of Manic Street Preachers' Nicky Wire, and land owner Hal Moggridge.

Members of the St David's Wood Campaign group say they feel "despondent," but hope a complaint lodged at European level may save the woods.

Carl Taylor, 43, a warden on the Moggridge estate said, "The only thing we can do is basically monitor the actual alignment of the ground to make sure that the contractors do not go outside of the boundary."

The PFI contract on the Sirhowy Way Express was signed on January 21 and builders will start work this week.

The 5km road is jointly funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and Caerphilly Council. Cabinet member John Taylor said, "We are delighted to see the scheme get underway.

"The completion of the Sirhowy Enterprise Way will bring huge benefits to the economy of the area as the construction of the road is crucial to the full development of Oakdale Business Park."

As of noon saturday 14th, there was no sign of security, balifs, police, contractors or other meanies on the bypass site.

There are a handful of people on site, many have travelled quite a distance to be there. The numbers have been swelled by the fact that it is a weekend, with people with day jobs and school kids hanging around the site.

They are pretty much sorted for food and stuff, there are a number of houses close by who obviously are opposed to the bypass and are helping out in every way they can. The one thing they are short of is people to stand in front of the contractors. No doubt on Monday their numbers are going to reduce, although they will probably have loads of kids around with it being half term. The 'word around the campfire' is that help is on the way from around the country and this could turn into quite a decent protest, but at them moment, hands on reinforcemts are needed ASAP.

Despite the 'Harry Potter' eviction notice which the security seem to think gives them the right to walk into the camp, the police are still respecting the section six squatters notice and asking permission to enter the camp.

I have seen and heard several different descriptions of how to find the camps, all from non locals which managed to totally confuse me. The simple answer is, find the Rock and Fountain boozer, head up the hill towards Pontllanfraith/Oakdale, then when you get to the sharp right hand bend towards the main road, don't bare right, turn left into a short dead end street. At the end of the road, just follow the old railway line north. First camp is about 200m up the line with a second camp about another 500m up, both camps clearly visible from the line.

Despite the impending eviction morale is high purely because of the local support. If you want to contact the site, ring 07952774525

Would it be of any use to post the names and numbers of companies and local governments involved in this so people can call/fax/email and pester them to stop? If anyone has this info please email it to me and I will post it and email it around (I'm in FL/ USA)
Can the owners of the land legally fight the orders to sell? Seems crazy they should be able to override all local opinion like that!

WE ARE STILL HERE-WE ARE CONSOLIDATING THE CAMPS AND PROTECTING MOST OF THE ANCIENT WOODLAND DIRECT ACTION IS WORKING HERE BUT WE NEED HELP NOW. WORK IS GOING ON ON OTHER PARTS OF SITE- COSTAIN ARE TRASHING TREES WE CANT PROTECT COS OF LACK OF NUMBERS INCREASED NUMBERS OF BAILIFFS/ COSTAIN NOW MAKING IT HARD TO STOP WORK UNLESS WE HAVE NUMBERS (SORTED POSSE STOPPED WORK MONDAY BUT TRASHING CONTINUING THIS MORNING 17.2.04) MORE MACHINERY ARRIVING ON SITE. DORMICE AND BAT HABITATS PROTECTED UNDER EU LAW MAY STILL SAVE BLACKWOOD. CPO NOW TO DECIDE IF THERE IS ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO PROSECUTE COSTAIN DUE TO ALREADY TRASHED HABITAT. EVER- INCREASING LOCAL SUPPORT THIS IS STILL WINNABLE!!

CARRY ON CAMPING
Ok, there are now two camps established (Kerry and Jordan!!!) in st davids wood (blackwood) which are on wooded land which is due to be trashed but is just on the other side of the boundary which Costain have injuncted us from. This is land which Costain did not compulsorarily purchase, (so is not covered by the "harry potter"; injunction) though for some reason they still have the right to trash the trees on this land for their easement strip. In any case there are walkways and the beginnings of proper tree dwellings on Costain's land as well as on the non- CPO-d side. Confused? Get down here and find out more!!!!

Unless they pull a fast one and do a sneaky eviction as NUMBERS ARE LOW it is cautiously safe (famous last words) to assume that the camps are safe for now- so we need to take this opportunity to consolidate these camps and put up more defences in the woods. Until the dormice are evicted Costain cannot touch much of the ancient woodland- if we can hold it all off till bird nesting season starts then they are stuffed.

WE NEED PEOPLE TO COME AND TRAIN PEOPLE IN CLIMBING TECHNIQUES AND HOW TO PUT UP WALKWAYS AND TREEHOUSES.

The site is now a mix of rapidly burning out local experienced activists (who have lives too, believe it or not) staying on site and coming and going, and an amazing amount of local teenagers and younger activists, who are mostly completely new to this but doing great stuff. This is an opportunity to blat down and pass on your skills and experience, and the climbing tat that doesn't fit you anymore, to a new generation before going back to warm houses jobs and kids! Or an opportunity to lunch your life out (heh heh) and do it all again IT IS VERY INSPIRING HERE AND IT'S WINNABLE, HONEST!!!! The locals are clued- up and massively supportive.
Ps we think that the human rights act article 8 would trump the harry potter injunction if we ever get sued.

DAYS OF ACTION

You don't have to come and camp. Small affinity groups blatting down and stopping work for the day is going to absolutely STUFF Costain, who are fast hiring more machinery and manpower to carry on working. Due to burly bailiffs, unless numbers are over a critical mass it is impossible for us to stop work now - we need help from local action groups to coordinate a day of action rota. It's a race against time who gets their act together quickest them or us. Direct action can hold up work while the wrangling over the EU protected habitats continues. Bad publicity, strong local opposition, the dormice and bat habitat issues, and the cost of dealing with direct action could all mean that Costain withdraw.

CONTACT DETAILS: phone 07952 774525/ 07708 420 446

BASIC DIRECTIONS- bus to blackwood from Cardiff. St davids wood visible on skyline on right hand side of valley (if coming from Cardiff- on left hand side if coming from the north) it's a 15 min walk from blackwood high street see directions below. Driving- along high street, find the Asda on right hand side of road-take back road straight on at a couple of roundabouts- find the rock and fountain pub, take road up the hill past the pub up to old railway line. Walk along track follow the yellow jackets trail of destruction, camps on the right in lovely trees. Better directions exist on other postings but its not that hard to find honest!

Latest from Alex  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cardiffanarchists/message/1356

"latest news from site this lunchtime local kids /teenagers sat in the road in the way of new machines (cherrypicker apparently) driving onto site. bailiffs got heavy chucking them out of the way oulling them around. teenagers saying its their woods apparently one of the chainsaw blokes started crying when one girl got in his way.

tree climbing bloke spotted in woods eyeing up rapidly increasing defences - might they steam in and take us by surprise?

people needed to help build defences (tree platforms) and/ or help local youth stop work asap branches been chopped off trees near camp"

I've just spoken to them, the police were called when all that was going on and they'll be looking at the videos and photos that were taken, so hopefully something will be done.
But they are asking for a Legal Observer with camera asap in case it carries on.

AND MORE PEOPLE!

It's getting more difficult as the few who are there are obviously VERY tired now and need help from people who know the ropes.

The residents have een great but there's not enough people to train them in the basics.

www.dontbypassbargoed.org.uk

As well as the atrocious bypass in Blackwood, Caerphilly County Borough Council want to bypass Bargoed, a few miles away.

www.dontbypassbargoed.org.uk

The Bargoed Bypass has been described by world-renowned transport expert Professor John Whitelegg as "the worst road scheme I've ever seen in 25 years. It's an absolute dog's dinner".

And the best news is, folks, that this bypass (with a "Net Value" of MINUS £12m...) will actually take longer than the existing road: it's being built for the sake of a new SUPERMARKET! Even though it's only a town of 6000 people, with two supermarkets already...

Did I mention it's been built through a "Country Park"... which will make it a £17m Supermarket Access Road.

Tell the Plaid Cymru and Labour politicians what you think: www.dontbypassbargoed.org.uk

Don't Bypass Bargoed! Peidiwch ag Osgoi Bargoed!

www.dontbypassbargoed.org.uk

Details of Costain's international head offices:

 http://www.costain.com/contact/local.htm

They have links to e-mail addresses too - get typing!

Protected Species Trashed at Blackwood!
boris, 27.02.2004 15:38
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/02/286076.html

Blackwood court case weeks adjournment
VERY TEMPORARY REPRIEVE FROM EVICTION RED ALERT
usual suspect, 24.02.2004
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/02/285944.html
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/02/285945.html

Blackwood arooga!
usual suspect, 24.02.2004 12:29
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/02/285909.html

Blackwood Pictures
Blackwood, 23.02.2004 20:18
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/02/285878.html

Great blackwood subvert!
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/02/285752.html
jannis, 22.02.2004 15:51
billboard seen on cowley road.

Blackwood in court 24th feb
usual suspect, 20.02.2004 16:33
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/02/285684.html

Check out a very good Blackwood photo report at Bristol Indymedia (19th / 20th Feb)
 http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire/display/13211/index.php

Stopping work on Monday/ how to make a chainsaw operator irate
the sorted posse!!, 18.02.2004 12:27
On Monday 16th Feb a small group of activists helped stop tree cutting at Blackwoood.
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/02/285584.html

Locals stop work at blackwood
usual suspect, 18.02.2004 21:05
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/02/285616.html

Word from site is that a team of 36 chainsaws will be at Blackwood soon.

Don't know exactly when, but they're appealing for as many people as possible to stop them, the numbers there at the moment don't stand much of a chance against 36!

With that number of chainsaws the trees will all be destroyed very quickly, and before the European Court has a chance to decide on this development.

So once again, people desperately needed ASAP, for a day or for longer, as many as possible for as long as possible!


Word is also that Blackwood will be evicted before the same team move on to Nine Ladies - so the longer Blackwood keeps going the better all round.

Rowan xx
 http://www.warband.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=news

BLACKWOOD ACTION ALERT


Blackwood people have called on supporters to politely ask subcontractors working on the Blackwood Bypass in S.Wales to stop destroying the last woodlands in the valley. They suggest that the following company in particular may be open to contact. Please phone or visit them as often as you think necessary. If you contact them you may wish to point out that their machinery and staff are subject to a criminal investigation in regard to trashing bats, dormice and bat habitats - these are protected under the Wildlife Act, and to trash them is a criminal offence.

This contractor has hired a massive excavator with long reach - it is used to drag felled trees up or down steep embankments to the chipper. If this contractor pulls out then Costain and Caerphilly County Council will find it difficult to continue building this unwanted road...

Land & Water (massive excavator with megalong grab) Land & Water Services Ltd, Weston Yard, The Street, Albury, Guildford Surrey, GU5 9AF Tel: 01483 202733 or 203070 fax: Facsimile: 01483 209512 or 01483 202510  http://www.land-water.co.uk/  plant@land-water.co.uk  laws@land-water.co.uk  remedation@land-water.co.uk
map at:  http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=505375&Y=147815&A=Y&Z=3

other contractors are listed on:  http://www.roadalert.org.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=210&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

The camp has a postal address now:

Blackwood Protest Site
Woodfield Park
Halls Crossing
Woodfield Side
Blackwood
Caerphilly
NP12 0PF.

Donations/cards/letters welcomed :)

 http://www.warband.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=news

On Wednesday 3rd of March the eviction notice was served from the judge at Blackwood County Court to persons unknown, who are squatting the land where the bypass is due to be built. To save these trees from the chainsaws, and the protesters from losing an ongoing battle with the bailiffs, COME AND JOIN US! WE NEED YOUR HELP TODAY!! EVICTION IS IMMINENT!!!

People went to the high court yesterday (4th March) and the eviction order was put on hold. This means we now have another court date in Blackwood sometime in the week starting 22nd March.
People went to the high court yesterday (4th March) and the eviction order was put on hold. This means we now have another court date in Blackwood sometime in the week starting 22nd March.

HOORAY!!! NO EVICTION JUST YET !!!!!

BUT - we still desperately need people down here. THIS ONE IS WINNABLE, but we need more people. If Costain can't get on with the work they'll have to give up (it's a PFI road) - so come and help stop work now!!!!!!!!

If you can't come down and support us then you can still support us from home:

Blackwood Bypass - Action Alert
- phone fax email web blockade on Blackwood sub-contractor -
Blackwood people have called on supporters to politely ask subcontractors working on the Blackwood Bypass in S.Wales to stop destroying the last woodlands in the valley. They suggest that the following company in particular may be open to contact. Please phone or visit them as often as you think necessary. If you contact them you may wish to point out that their machinery and staff are subject to a criminal investigation in regard to trashing bats, dormice and bat habitats - these are protected under the Wildlife Act, and to trash them is a criminal offence.

This contractor has hired a massive excavator with long reach - it is used to drag felled trees up or down steep embankments to the chipper. If this contractor pulls out then Costain and Caerphilly County Council will find it difficult to continue building this unwanted road...

Land & Water (massive excavator with megalong grab) Land & Water Services Ltd, Weston Yard, The Street, Albury, Guildford Surrey, GU5 9AF Tel: 01483 202733 or 203070 fax: Facsimile: 01483 209512 or 01483 202510    http://www.land-water.co.uk/   plant (at) land-water.co.uk   laws (at) land-water.co.uk   remedation (at) land-water.co.uk
map at:    http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=505375&Y=147815&A=Y&Z=3

other contractors are listed on:    http://www.roadalert.org.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=210&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

The Blackwood Bypass will destroy the last woodland in the area - much of it mature oak and beech, killing rare species such as dormice, bats and slowworms. It is being built to serve a bomb factory just down the road, and local people hate it... so if your thing is animal rights, peace, local communities or ecology then get on that phone, fax or email now....

Here are some pictures of what's been destroyed up until March 5th. Its now March 9th and the destruction carries on.

PLEASE NOTE: the other 16 pictures that were here have been moved by indy uk admin, in order to keep this page faster loading. They are now at:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/03/286803.html

Just off the phone from blackwood campaigner up a tree during tree chopper's lunch break - we spoke only until the noise of the cutting made it inaudible. Here's a short report. Please forward. Things are getting urgent, with trees being cut down all day today. Rumours of a high court appeal maybe going on on Friday. Evition imminent and need more people to protect trees. 5 people or more currently squatting on trees delaying work. No police arrests today and the arrest that took place yesterday was not charged. There has been more media coverage with tv cameras etc. whether this is good or bad remains to be seen.

More trees down today but not as many as yesterday - they managed to stop work a bit earlier.

One of the construction workers cut down a tree with someone in it! Luckily he wasn't hurt as he managed to grab hold of another tree before he fell.

Other trees with people in were hit by other trees falling.

Incidents like these, and worse, have been captured on video and photos but if anyone's going there could you take a camera too? The more cameras there the better!

Costain are in the High Court tomorrow to try and stop the leave to appeal, more news as soon as I hear.

AND THEY STILL NEED MORE PEOPLE!!

Rowan x

This weekend a party / festival has been declared at
the Blackwood road protest site. The 2 day event
Friday to Saturday, is a chance for all people who
despise the ignorance and corruption of global
capitalism, to laugh in the face of doom, and enjoy a
dance before the storm!

The event will include, face painting, laughter,
poetry sessions, live music, bongo drumming into the
small hours, fire juggling, workshops on politics,
comedy, tree house building, road blockading, love
and terror in the globalised economy, and the rest....