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Radley Lakes: Join the protest march on legs and cycles on 10 March

Friend of Radley Lakes | 05.03.2007 21:38 | Ecology | Free Spaces | Oxford

Join a Cycle Ride and March to Say No to NPower's "Criminal Damage" to Radley Lakes on Saturday 10 March

Repost from Live Journal:

You are invited to join cyclists from across Oxfordshire in a bicycle ride in support of the campaign to "Save Radley Lakes" next Saturday. Cyclists in Oxford are invited to congregate in Broad Street, Oxford City (OX1 3AS) outside the Oxford Campus Store, at 12.45pm on Saturday 10th March, 2007, while walkers from Abingdon and Didcot are invited to congregate at 1.10pm in Abbey Meadow (OX14 3JE) in Abingdon to hear speakers, then walk to Thrupp Lake. The cyclists will proceed toward Radley Lakes, with bells, whistles and banners, coinciding with a march by Save Radley Lakes the same day at Thrupp Lake at 1.55pm.

Everyone is welcome to join the cycle ride as a planned show of support for the campaign, and the ride will end at the lakes. Bring bells, whistles and banners if you can.

The ride will take place at a leisurely pace. Radley Lakes have been used by Oxonians
for over 30 years as a leisure site to walk, cycle and enjoy the environment. Npower has filled all the lakes east of the railway with ash, and now it wants to destroy the remainder in the same way, completely destroying habitat for many species of birds,
fish, animal, and plant. News of the cycle ride is being broadcast to Cyclox, Critical Mass, Sustrans, CTC, and of course Save Radley Lakes. Cyclists are angry that the Npower's damage to the lakes will also ruin the beautiful views of the lake environment on the Sustrans cycle route than runs between two of the lakes, and there are reports that Npower's site workers are already taking liberties with the cyclists "right of way" blocking the path to cyclists.

An experienced cyclist will lead the ride along an official cycle route from Oxford to Thrupp Lake (distance 5 miles). Feel free to forward this message to people or groups who you think might be interested, or email  jon.rees@gmail.com Please send me an SMS on 07970 893371 if you intend to join us.

See you Saturday,

Jon Rees & Martin Wilson

Route:  http://www.sustrans.org.uk/webfiles/leaflets/Hanson%20Way.pdf

Friend of Radley Lakes

Additions

Protest was a great success

10.03.2007 16:38

40 cyclists including 2 toddlers joined the cycle ride from Oxford City to Radley Lakes. On the way, we picked up a few enthusiastic supporters and joined with the front of the walking march from Abbey Meadow. The offical count from the Marshall was 553, which includes the 513 counted at the town protest, the majority of whom joined with the cyclists at the lake.

At least one protestor had got the train up from London to come on the cycle ride.

There was a photo opportunity where about 7 or 8 reporters climbed to the top of the mound near the lakes to photograph hundreds of protestors. Its already (understated in the mouthpiece of conservativism) in Oxford Mail, and should get in ITV News (yes, TV!), and also Sunday Times among others. With coverage today in telegraph, yesterday in guardian, and even the United Arab Emirates' Khaleej Times!!!

I think we should put the call out it a couple of weeks time, or whenever "Save Radley Lakes" thinks this cyclist support would be most effective. It looks like the "on foot" protests will be very regular indeed from here on in... worth joining them as members I think, or at least going on the mailing list:  http://www.saveradleylakes.org.uk/

And remember: switch away from your provider to Ecotricity - costs the same, and it'll teach those carbon spewing energy produces a lesson where it hurts: on the bottom line.

RWW NPower et al have no excuse for not having sufficiently invested in alternate energy generation schemes, and we should punish them by switching:  http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/makingadifference.html

I say, switch to a green provider whoever is your provider - that way your investing in our childrens' future by paying your leccy bill, and its costs nada.

Jon Rees


Comments

Hide the following comment

A glut of barristers at Westminster has led to a crackdown on dissent

06.03.2007 18:47

Article in Today's (6.3.07) Giardia notes attempted constraints on protest at Radley:
 http://politics.guardian.co.uk/green/comment/0,,2027338,00.html

Still, its hard to arrest 300 people for trespass - especially on a weekend after Xmas, when the police aren't so keen on overtime, and can't come out in force, vans etc.

Also, this one at the lakes is a bit of a no-brainer, the local police will be in tears if the lakes gets wrecked, just like the rest of us...

Jim Slip