Guy Dickinson, Bypass the Bypass
“You need to be proactive from the start and not complacent at any time.”
Bypass the Bypass
Bypass the Bypass only launched in March 2007, but in this short space of time it’s gained a lot of momentum. Guy Dickinson, founder of the group, shares his tips for a successful group and the pitfalls to look out for.
Bypass the Bypass campaigns against the Weymouth Relief Road, which would destroy Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, ancient woodland and a nature reserve. The extra carbon emissions the road would produce are equivalent to 48% of the council’s carbon emission reduction target.
In January 2007, Guy discovered that the Weymouth Relief Road was back on the council’s agenda. “I thought the 'relief' road was more or less not going to happen having been previously thrown out – but then, to my horror, I found that this wasn't the case and Dorset County Council had been preparing a new proposal and that's when I panicked!”
Guy immediately contacted Campaign for Better Transport and was put in touch with his local group. The local group rep was able to give Guy lots of advice on how to oppose the road scheme. Together they organised a huge mailing around local residents’ doors asking them to register their objections against the road. Guy also set up a website outlining why the relief road was not necessary and included a link for people to register opposition.
All this work seemed to pay off when 6,000 letters of objections against the road were received – three times more than the letters received in favour of the road! Despite this, Dorset County Council granted itself planning permission for the road. “We were shocked,” Guy admits, “as we thought it would get called in to a public inquiry.” But the campaign goes on: most recently the group has been challenging the Compulsory Purchase Order the council needs in order to acquire the land for the road.
Challenge your opponents
The group developed a media campaign and sent out press releases to all local media. They soon found that getting favourable coverage for their campaign would be a challenge. “Local papers seemed to be behind the road, publishing lots of articles in favour of it,” Guy explains. They got round this by writing letters to the letters page challenging these articles, which the papers did publish.
Getting the media to write more objective articles was not the only struggle the group faced. The local MP supported the road scheme. Guy explains: “Our local MP is a strong driving force in favour of the road. We did write him a letter early on, outlining the facts about the road, but on reflection we should have challenged him more ruthlessly and more promptly and not have made too many assumptions.”
Think locally
One important lesson Guy quickly learnt was that if any progress was to be made against the road, then a local voice was needed. Guy explains: “Whilst it is very helpful to have national opposition to a road scheme, it is far more effective if local residents unite and voice their objections.”
Contact Bypass The Bypass
Tel: 07747 776580
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"Our campaign would not have been half as successful without the help of Campaign for Better Transport"
- Julie White, Sheffield resident campaigning against M1 widening
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