May 31, 2011
Wales

Pylon protesters march on capital

Robert Doman, www.bordercountiesadvertizer.co.uk 31 May 2011

Protesters from Oswestry and the Border Counties marched on Cardiff last week as they took their fight against proposed 48 metre high pylons to the Welsh Assembly.

They joined forces with protesters from mid-Wales in what proved to be the largest ever protest seen at the seat of the Welsh Government, with almost 2,000 people urging the Senedd at Cardiff Bay to review its wind farm policy.

Pylons carrying 400,000 volts are set to form a scar across the face of North Shropshire, following one of ten proposed routes within a ten-mile-wide corridor through the area, but people want the lines buried underground in a bid to save the countryside, with the National Grid hoping to make a final decision on the planned route this Autumn.

Protester, Fiona Murray, from Eardiston near West Felton, said: “We are angry that our countryside could be defaced.
“The turbines themselves leave a massive carbon footprint and together with the lines they will destroy a beautiful area.
“There are huge, fantastic views around here and no guidelines restricting how far the lines can be positioned from houses which also raises a health issue.

“We don’t really think National Grid have been very open to our concerns. The costs of putting the lines underground in the long term is the same as the pylons, but National Grid want to save money now.
“I want to encourage people to support our efforts and with their help we could make a difference. I don’t think everyone is aware of how the power lines could affect them.”

National Grid says the power lines are needed to link a proposed wind farm substation, planned for either Abermule or Cefn Coch, in Powys, with the existing Wrexham-Shrewsbury line as part of the project.

National Grid hopes that work on any chosen route will be completed in 2015.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/05/31/pylon-protesters-march-on-capital/