RIS2 Derby A38 works; modal shift of road freight to rail, fail

On 7th August, between 9.25 and10.27 am, over 200 HGV lorries were counted on Markeaton Island and A38. This would indicate that modal shift of freight, from road to rail, is failing. National Highways admitted, at the A38 public inquiry, that lorry numbers would increase if the scheme went ahead.

It is to be hoped that, after encouraging maiden speeches in Parliament, that the new Government carries out major rail reform, and enables modal shift

The campaign to save childrens lungs, 400 trees at Markeaton Park and 10,000 in environs, washland, public open space, continues. In this climate emergency. Pls help by donating https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/stop-the-a38-road-expansion-for-good/

Perhaps now that Derby is the HQ for Great British Railways, things may change…Ha we can’t even save carbon resources by refurbishing the only culturally fit building to house the GBR HQ, the Assembly Rooms, I digress https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/carbon-cost-of-demolishing-derby-assembly-rooms-laid-bare

Background – Derby is a grossly polluted industrial city, with 2 Air Quality Management Areas, in which people are breathing substandard air. It is the most polluted city in the East Midlands. There are over 30 industrial stacks pumping out pollution and the incinerator stack, -now Renewi have been taken over by Biffa- is also forecast to start up again. In short, Derby stinks to high heaven. High asthma rates among children and increasingly adults, birth defects, low birth weights, high lung cancer +other cancer rates, cardiovascular disease etc more info on incinerator pages and on previous A38 page.

7/2/26 PS The East Midlands Mayor transport consultation runs till Feb 8th, It contains not one mention of the climate emergency. Over 90 flood alerts currently across the UK. The pumping station at Bass Rec will not save Derby from the excessive water surface run-off and consequent flooding, that the A38 Junctions works will cause, to Markeaton, Mackworth etc brooks and River Derwent. We should have free electric buses every 15mins -as in Leicester, where it is well used and air pollution is lower- across Derby inner and outer ring roads and A38.