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THE company behind plans to build the Birmingham Northern Relief Road said today that the scheme would not be delayed by a network of tunnels which have been burrowed by eco-warriers.
The road protesters have moved into a derelict cottage off the A38 near Weeford in Staffordshire, just yards from Green Wood where fellow campaigners set up camp in trees last year.
This time the group, which calls itself Midlands Against Super Highways, has dug a labyrinth of tunnels complete with security doors and claim they will chain themselves in for up to a month if necessary.
Muppet takes a break from tunneling and (right) eco-warrior Becky at one of the tunnel entrances
THE company behind plans to build the Birmingham Northern Relief Road said today that the scheme would not be delayed by a network of tunnels which have been burrowed by eco-warriers.
The road protesters have moved into a derelict cottage off the A38 near Weeford in Staffordshire, just yards from Green Wood where fellow campaigners set up camp in trees last year.
This time the group, which calls itself Midlands Against Super Highways, has dug a labyrinth of tunnels complete with security doors and claim they will chain themselves in for up to a month if necessary.
The tunnels run underneath the cottage which is the second building to be occupied by the group.
Tom Smith, managing director of Midland Expressway Ltd, said that he was concerned that the protesters had begun digging tunnels.
"We're very concerned anyone should start digging tunnels because that's rather a dangerous thing to do," he said.
Legal challenge
"At the moment we have a legal challenge to go through and until that has been sorted out in the courts, we won't be doing anything very much to stop it.
"Anyone who takes on a major infrastructure has to take this kind of thing on as part of their job, but we certainly have plans to deal with it in time."
Last month the protestors took over Boundary Cottage off Weeford Road in Sutton Coldfield after it was compulsorily purchased by the Highways Agency.
So far eight protesters have moved into the cottage, but they expect many more to turn up ready for an eviction which could take place at any time.
The action comes as a second blow to developers Midland Expressway Ltd, who were hoping to start work on the pounds 400 million toll motorway in December, linking the M42 at Coleshill with the M6 at Cannock.
Last month another local campaign group, The Alliance Against the Birmingham Northern Relief Road, won a high court action to hold a judicial review into the road plans.
One of the new campaigners, Simon Davies, said that this was just the beginning of what could turn out to be Britain's biggest ever road protest.
He said that tens of thousands of protesters were expected to take over the 27-mile route in coming months.
"We will stay here for as long as it takes," he said.
"The Newbury bypass was only a nine-mile development and that attracted tens of thousands of people."
Fellow eco-warrior, Dave Muppet, aged 31, from Rugeley, is a seasoned anti-road campaigner who has helped set up six protest camps in the past.
He said the group had created a warren of bunkers with the intention of holding up clearance work
Caption: DUG IN: Protester Dave
Copyright Mirror Regional Newspapers Apr 4, 1998