In two weeks petition signatures increase by 3000

Thousands more Londoners are backing a campaign to save Barn Elms Playing Fields from being used as a giant construction compound as part of the Thames Tunnel ‘super sewer’ scheme.

South West London campaign group Stop the Shaft has reported a sharp increase in the number of people signing a petition calling for the seven year tunnelling project to be relocated to a brownfiled site.

In the last few weeks the signature total has risen from 5,500 to 8,500.

The SAVE BARN ELMS campaign, which is backed by Wandsworth Council, has now attracted support from high profile Londoners including Philip Glennister, Peter Snow, Anneke Rice, Gyles Brandreth, Patricia Hodge, Shebah Ronay, Alistair McGowan and Jonathan Yeo.

Crucially, the pressure group is not opposed to the Thames Tunnel scheme, only to the use of a popular greenfield sports and recreation space as a main tunnelling site.

Thames Water has now identified an alternative location where they could base the construction compound intended for Barn Elms. This semi-derelict industrial site has no trees, no grassland, no sports pitches, no riverside towpath and no natural habitat to disturb.

The campaigners hope to convince the water company that this, or another brownfiled site, is a more suitable location for such long lasting and disruptive work.

For more information and to sign the petition visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/savebarnelms or visit www.stoptheshaft.org.

May 26, 2011