I've just cycled back from the lakes protest. The official count was 553 protestors, 513 massed in Abingdon, and the protest was joined by 40 cyclists from Oxford City at the lakes. Interestingly, I also spotted at least 8 coots on Thrupp Lake - that makes at least 4 nesting pairs.
I don't think people will be satisfied until NPower agrees to cease this plan permanently, it's becoming clear that this will cost NPower millions from customers switching away, it'll be in Sunday Times tommorow and on ITV news!

Obviously npower are having a laugh.Stop work for a coot.... when they've destroyed all the vegetation above the kingfishers nest to stop them using their nest burrow this year? Not to mention cutting down all the trees so that the Cetti's warblers can't breed.... oh, and of course there's the small matter of the swan's nest. Npower have thoughtfully put up a scarecrow to make sure that the pair don't make any more attempts to rebuild their nest.

Once again local people have shown how much they value Thrupp Lake and have demonstrated the strength of opposition to NPower's destructive plans. Delaying the work until the summer is welcome but doesn't solve the problem. NPower and the local authorities must now put this time to good use and carry out a thorough investigation of ALL the options, taking account of the needs of the environment and local people, not just NPower's shareholders.

The situation at the Radley Lakes concerning legally protected species is that several of these are present yet this has not resulted in deforestation finishing earlier. The swan nest was destroyed in front of witnesses two weeks ago. Likewise with the deliberate disturbance above the kingfisher nest. Legally protected otters are present but Npower's surveyor found no evidence. Could this be because their employees were seen beating lakeside vegetion in advance of the survey? Npower are contemptuous of wildlife law, the planning system and the wishes of the public. Their spokeperson says there are no legally protected species at the lake. This is a flagrant lie.

There was an SRL Tally at Barton Lane and 543 people passed the Teller on route to the Sustrans way.
Other people joined the march from the Leisure Centre and the Cyclists from Oxford and Didcot joined the March at Thrupp Lake.
With regard to Mr. and Mrs. Coot and their desres on Thrupp Lake, pity NPower didn't feel the same about the Kingfishers, the Swans and the other birds whose habitat has been ruined.

NPower have used their usual spin to bend the truth as to why they have ceased working at Thrupp Lake - the truth is that they haven't got all their planning permissions signed off by Oxfordshire County Council and the Environment Agency. This is because their plans have been put together incorrectly without due consideration and they have been caught out. nPower's plans to fill Thrupp Lake have been conceived in ignorance and delivered in error. Why don't they just admit they are wrong and give the land to the community and earn some proper green credentials. After all the 24/7 capability they say they need hasn't been theirs for nearly two years now - so why do they persist with this ludicrous party line that they must have a 24/7 disposal route for their ash. What they mean is they don't want to have to recycle it. They should be made to recycle it and do what Fiddlers Ferry Power Station have done. Get into a joint venture with a company that can recycle the ash and make something useful out of it, not just dump it to landfill.

I marched on Saturday and saw NPower's vandalism of Thrupp Lake. This is the arrogance of corporate power at its worst, putting cheapness, i.e., profit, before any environmental responsibility. Time was when this industry was in public ownership. Power generation should be re-nationalised and a national plan instituted for phasing in micro-generation of renewable energy in order to tackle climate change and save our environment.

NPOWER COOTS
Npower speak with forked tongues, they are devious and ruthless.

They chose recently not to inform the High Court of their knowledge of a pending Public Enquiry regarding Radley Lakes. An infamous draconian injunction was obtained that threatens us all.

If successful, the designation of a ‘Town Green’ status will prohibit npower’s plans forever and the spectacular 14-acre lake and its wildlife will be retained for future generations.

“Some essential maintenance would occur prior to dewatering”, said npower. Immediately, forty contractors flattened the 14-acre lake area and its islands; hundreds of trees were destroyed, many 40 years old and without permission from the Forestry Commission. Their risk, maybe a paltry £2,500 fine?

Coinciding with the protest march on Saturday 10th March and as the sponsoring of the BBC ‘Red Nose Campaign’ builds up, npower announced an immediate postponement of work as ‘an active coots nest had been observed by their independent ecologist’. What puff and nonsense!

When tree felling was commencing a contractor was photographed destroying a swan’s nest. Barbed wire placed at the waters edge has deterred further nesting attempts. Whilst the incident has been reported, npower claim not to have destroyed an ‘active nest’. Disturbing the water birds with powerboats, even with children aboard, has disturbed local residents even more.

If npower were hairdressers and Britney Spears had asked for ‘just a trim’, they would put 40 demon barbers to work, finish 90% of the work and then declare: “the independent npower nurse has found a nesting pair of nits in your eyebrows and we have immediately stopped work; however, in a few weeks we have plans for complete disembowelment”.

No doubt npower have now sent their contractors to the Brazilian Rain Forest to prune a few roses? Just routine maintenance of course!

Npower at Didcot have replied to people who dare to complain saying there is no alternative to filling in Thrupp Lake; the nation's 24/7 energy supply together with Didcot's economy are at risk and it was a very tough decision. Work that one out!

This letter ends with a suitable bird call to npower; the reader can guess which one, it isn't a pigeon and is a bit of a howler.




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SAVE RADLEY LAKES



The protest march on Saturday 10th March was magnificent. Protesters were welcomed at the Abingdon Guild Hall by the Town Crier and children from Radley Primary School entertained with a colourful display. Speakers giving encouraging support included the Mayor of Abingdon and local MP Dr Evan Harris.





Over 500 marched to the lakes, joined by many others on route to the Bowyers Arms in Radley. A message of support was read out from the famous Oxfordshire poet Pam Ayres:



“As a passionate supporter of wildlife conservation generally, I deplore the infilling of the Radley lake."



The greeting from Pam, currently in Australia was met with rapturous applause.



At the pub’s ‘Weekly Meet’ for the campaign’s ‘Poem, Song and Ode Contest’ prizes were given in several categories.



One poem from Rosie Hunt, aged 9, won £10



Radley Lake:

Radley Lake is the best place to be

When you want to chill out and be cool like me

There’s birds, there’s fish, there’s a gentle swooshing sound

As the clear water laps against the ground
The swaying trees cast a dappled shade

On plants and flowers in a cool green shade



But if nPower get their way

The lakes will face some terrible days



It won’t be quiet

It’ll be far too loud
‘cos there won’t be any wild life around

It’ll just be a pool of poisonous goo

And who wants that?

Not me or you

It was wonderful to see the children rallying round to support the cause of Radley Lake, which is theirs to inherit.

There were many more children than previously. We more than doubled the number of protestors and we hope that still more will join in to oppose RWE npower's outrageous behaviour at Radley.

Rachel Everett wrote:
Obviously npower are having a laugh.Stop work for a coot.... when
they've destroyed all the vegetation above the kingfishers nest to stop
them using their nest burrow this year? Not to mention cutting down all
the trees so that the Cetti's warblers can't breed.... oh, and of
course there's the small matter of the swan's nest. Npower have
thoughtfully put up a scarecrow to make sure that the pair don't make
any more attempts to rebuild their nest.

Rumour has it that the scarecrow is Kelly Brown. At least the crows can crap on NPower.