October 19, 2012
Scotland

Protest march against wind farms

Kirriemuir Herald | 19 October 2012 | www.kirriemuirherald.co.uk

The Angus Communities Windfarm Action Group (ACWAG), which brings together groups from across Angus objecting to wind turbines, is urging people to take part in a march in Perth this Saturday.

The group is supporting the invitation from GASPS (Gask and Strathearn Protection Society) to all who have a concern about rising energy bills and the proliferation of turbine applications in Angus, to take part.

The walk, agreed by Tayside Police, will take place at 11 a.m. from the South Inch to the Perth Concert hall where Alex Salmond will be making a key note speech at the SNP conference.

ACWAG brings together groups from across Angus objecting to wind turbines and more information on the 92 Angus sites can be found at www.acwag.org.uk.

It is supporting a number of local campaign groups in Perthshire and Fife, organising the event. These groups, who are fighting against the increasing number of turbines in Tayside like many groups across Scotland, have been campaigning against the destruction of the rural environment.

Their common demand is that the Scottish and U.K. governments review their wind energy policy, calling a halt to all future developments until a reliable, affordable energy policy is made.

An ACWAG statement requests: “If Angus folk have a concern about protecting the Angus landscape, our much loved hills and lowlands and have grave concerns about increasing energy bills, this is the opportunity to meet with people from all over Scotland.

“There is no point just saying this should not be allowed to happen; we need to work together and make sure the message goes out loud and clear to our elected representatives, both local councillors and National governments.

“A reliable, affordable energy policy is vital to everyone’s future.

“The lucrative subsidises sourced from consumers’ energy bills paid to landowners and developers are unsustainable, unaffordable for households and businesses.

“The rising energy costs are impacting not only on the fuel poor, elderly and disabled but all households, on local jobs and our vital tourism industry.

“Energy companies now claim 20% of energy bills are due to government obligations and taxes.

“During cold high pressure windless conditions when we need warm homes the turbines are standing still. Our precious landscapes, much loved by tourists, are being industrialised and communities are being ignored, so an energy policy based on sound engineering is needed, not a developer led wind rush.”

Hundreds are expected to march through Perth to ensure their voices are heard. Children are being encouraged to go along in the guise of animals on land and sea threatened by wind turbines

For those unable to walk from the South Inch it is suggested they meet at the Concert Hall from 12 noon.

GASPS chairman Brian Simpson said It is vital communities open their eyes to the threat posed by wind turbines and go to Perth on Saturday, October 20.

Last month the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, backed by the British Mountaineering Council, ­called for a moratorium on further developments in key upland areas, especially round the Munros and Corbetts.

A moratorium has also been requested by a number of councils across Scotland. The local and national concerns will merge in Perth on Saturday as the protest converges on the SNP autumn conference. For more on the map of Angus turbines visit www.acwag.org.uk and click on the ‘Maps’ wind tab. For further details on the march go to www.gasps.info

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/10/19/protest-march-against-wind-farms/