Crowdfunder launches for Shrewsbury North West Relief Road legal challenge

Better Shrewsbury Transport (BeST) has launched a crowdfunder for a legal challenge to the proposed North West Relief Road in Shrewsbury.

The group aims to raise £20,000 to fund a legal challenge to the controversial road project and is asking concerned residents in Shrewsbury and Shropshire to contribute.

Speaking for BeST Mike Streetly, a veteran hydrogeologist, says:

"BeST has spent the last four years doing detailed analysis of the council’s proposals with a team of experts analysing everything from the scheme’s carbon emissions, traffic modelling, environmental impact, and the risk to the Shelton drinking water borehole.

"We have repeatedly and tirelessly explained to the council exactly what is wrong with this road and why it shouldn’t go ahead. In return the council have stuck their fingers in their ears and ignored us. A legal challenge is now the last chance to stop this disastrous project from going ahead."

Better Shrewsbury Transport has already written to Michael Gove asking for a public inquiry into the road. The next legal step would be a judicial review where a judge is asked to rule on the lawfulness of a decision or action made by a public authority like a local council.

BeST has already taken legal advice and believes that there are many aspects of the way in which Shropshire Council made the decision to proceed with the proposed new road that would be open to legal challenge if the decision is not taken away from Shropshire Council to be decided by an independent planning inspector at a Public Inquiry.

Says Mike Streetly:

"The lawyers we have spoken to tell us we have a very good chance of succeeding given the flaws in the council’s approach. However, funding a challenge like this is expensive. BeST’s team has already spent thousands of hours and many thousands of pounds of our own money raising awareness about the road’s flaws.

"Now we need help from the people of Shropshire. We urge anyone who’s worried about the council’s plans to fell veteran trees like the Darwin Oak, the safety of their drinking water, or the accelerating climate and nature emergency to support us. Donate whatever you can and please share, share, share the crowdfunder far and wide. We believe that people power will stop this road."

BeST is planning fundraising events across the county in the coming weeks, tapping into the widespread animosity towards the road in towns and villages outside Shrewsbury. Events will include a fundraising ceilidh and road-o-meter stalls.

Every penny raised through the crowdfunding website will be used to pay for the legal challenge. Any excess funds will be donated to The Good Law Project charity in order to help it fight other climate and nature wrecking roads across the UK.

The crowdfunder can be found at: justgiving.com/crowdfunding/nwrr.