England Announces Plan to Protect Environment Near Roads
11/30/99
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Title: England's road managers told to protect environment:
Source: Reuters
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: November 30, 1999
LONDON (Reuters) -- Transport Minister Lord Whitty announced plans on
Tuesday to spend eight million pounds protecting the environment
around England's roads. Whitty said the government's "Strategic Plan
for the Environment" would set out ways in which the Highway Agency
can offer protection to land, trees, wildlife and rivers around
motorways.
Under the new environmental strategy the agency will:
* use materials which help sustain the environment;
* introduce engineering measures to protect wildlife from road
traffic where motorways cross habitats;
* use noise-reducing surfaces when roads need to be resurfaced;
* increase use of environmentally friendly lighting on motorways;
* work to protect heritage sites from damage by roads.
It will also develop a biodiversity action plan to manage land next
to motorways, research how to improve dealing with road spillages and
encourage recycling and use of local materials in construction work.
"The strategy covers a wide range of issues including air pollution;
waste management; noise reduction; water pollution; biodiversity and
protecting our geological and historical heritage," Highways Agency
Chief Executive Peter Nutt said.
Nutt said the agency had consulted with environmental groups in
drawing up the strategy and would work in partnership with them to
ensure its success.