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Marchers bid to save lake

8:00am Monday 12th March 2007

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Save Radley Lakes campaigners staged a protest on Saturday in the battle against RWE npower's plans to dump fuel ash into Thrupp Lake.

About 500 supporters gathered at Abingdon Guildhall at lunchtime to voice their objections to the power firm's plan.

A dozen speakers, including Abingdon mayor Peter Green and local MP Dr Evan Harris, addressed the crowd outside the hall.

Several others stepped up to the microphone to pledge support, including Andrew Boddington, the national campaign manager of the Council for the Protection of Rural England.

Pupils from Radley Primary School provided support by holding up individual letter cards spelling out slogans such as "Switch off npower", which were cheered.

Dr Harris said: "It's a pleasure to be here, but also a sadness to have to fight to save this important element of our local environment."

He claimed npower had chosen the "cheapest option" of dumping fuel ash, which he described as "an environmental disgrace".

Dr Harris also attacked the power company's premature clearing of woodland at the site before the determination of the current Town Green application, which will be the subject of a public inquiry next month.

On Friday, campaigners welcomed a decision to halt work after a bird's nest was discovered at the site.

RWE npower said the development, which will eventually take ash from Didcot Power Station, would be delayed until late summer. The firm is adamant its work is necessary and has taken on an independent ecologist to monitor the land.

But Mr Green said: "When something is wrong - and this is wrong - you've got to stand up and be counted to stop this.

"It's for our kids, and their kids."

The majority of the protesters then took part in a two-mile trek along the cycle route from Abingdon to Thrupp Lake, where they were joined by cyclists who had ridden from Oxford.

Mr Crowley said: "It's important that we keep up the pressure on RWE npower to stop plans that will ruin Thrupp Lake.

"Dumping ash containing toxic substances will pose a persistent long-term threat to the local environment.

"It will inflict immense damage on a treasured Oxfordshire beauty spot and its wildlife."

RWE npower was not available to comment.

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Anon, says...
2:28pm Mon 12 Mar 07

I am not against saving the lakes, but can I ask, what other location options does N power have? Are we just shifting the problem to someone elses door step?

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Hans Offarlakes, Abingdon says...
4:43pm Mon 12 Mar 07

If you mean that npower should tip ash into someone else's pristine lake or onto another wildlife site, of course not! All the arguments used at the Radley Lakes apply equally well anywhere, where circumstances are comparable. Turning a beautiful lake in an area of exceptional biodiversity into an unsightly ash dump should be unacceptable wherever it is threatened.

Npower have alternatives, maybe, from their perspective, not quite as good, maybe less convenient, or more costly than the Radley Lakes. A bit of research on the internet will reveal what they are. In particular, right next to the power station is a large operational landfill site with more than enough room... and taking power station ash will save tens of thousands of lorry loads of other stuff coming to that site. It would be win-win for both communities.

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Anon, says...
9:11pm Mon 12 Mar 07

Hans, have Npower given any explanation on why they are not taking up the option of the landfill site next to the power station?
I am glad you agree we should not just be pushing the problem elsewhere, we hear 'not in my back yard' too often without a real solution.
I would be intersted to know why Npower have chosen radley lakes over the alternatives?

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M Jones, says...
9:35pm Mon 12 Mar 07

The answer is simply that it is the cheapest option, for them! They already have their pipeline and other plant set up at Radley. Taking it elswhere would no doubt require some additional work, potentially higher transport costs and contracts would have to be negotiated with the site operator. There are probably other complications, none of which are insurmountable but which will be more expensive. However, the extra cost to NPower has to be compared with the wider cost to the community of destroying Thrupp Lake. These days we don't simply let industry use the cheapest disposal option for their waste : wider considerations have to be taken into account. The value of Radley Lakes to the local community is surely much greater than their simple utility value as a dumping ground. And as has been pointed out before, disposing of the ash at the Sutton Courtenay landfill could help bring forward the restoration of that disgusting refuse pit, so a win-win for both communities.

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Gemini, says...
10:11pm Mon 12 Mar 07

Readers should be aware that Fiddlers Ferry Power Station is akin to Didcot but has found an alternative to dumping to landfill. It has entered a Joint Venture with a Company called Rocktron which recycles the ash into component parts and nothing is wasted.

RWE NPower, however, had such a venture set up at their Aberthaw Power Station and backed out of it, because they didn't want to put up the money - now that ash goes to a quarry and is polluting the area in Wales and the locals there are after the EA for negligence! We have a similar situation here in Radley - the ash is leaching into the watercourses and the latest infilling which is bunded is a toxic mess which will never consolidate. During their filling of this area, NPower breached their discharge consents on twelve occasions, allowing toxic waste to get into the Thames. However all the Environment Agency did was get their big fat
whitewash brush out!

At Thrupp they started work without their consents being in place and rode roughshod over the public with our application for Town Green Status. They have had to stop work because they have breached the planning consents and try to make out they have found a poor little bemused coot who has built a nest. How their ecologist found it amongst the debris littering the lake we'll never know but it is probably a figment of someone's imagination designed to put a spin on the reason why they stopped work.

But be warned the public are biting back. The EA were prosecuted recently for allowing a Company to discharge waste and not do anything about it. The Anglers took on the EA and won substantial costs.. If they can do it, then so can we.

Don't forget - Switch your Electricity and Gas Supplier from NPower. Make them see the true effect of public opinion - in their shareholders' wallets!

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Bob Eeles, says...
10:53pm Mon 12 Mar 07

Another reason why Npower want to dump toxic ash at Radley is that they were encouraged to do so by OCC - thus flouting numerous planning regulations. Prior agreements were entered into by OCC and Npower before any planning application had been made and before any ecological surveys were carried out. OCC has ignored the truly independent research highlighting the ecological value of the site and chosen to believe the tissue of lies prepared by Npower, in collusion with the county ecologist. Yes it's true, Npower have no regard for wildlife as exemplified by their destruction of an actively being built swans nest (the witnesses saw no ecologist overseeing this action in spite of Npower's claims to the contrary) and the deliberate disturbance of a nesting pair of kingfishers. Highly illegal actions, sanctioned by Npower and ignored by the authorities who should be acting to protect endangered species.

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Physicist, says...
3:23am Tue 13 Mar 07

RWE npower plead that there is no market for their recycled product. They euphemistically call the flyash they don't recycle "unrecyclable flyash". What an admission of failure!

What they mean is that they have not invested nearly enough in a recycling plant to be able to recycle more. They spent £3 million where Fiddlers Ferry are reported to have spent £22 million. Guess which plant is fit for purpose? Not Didcot's. All power generation is big and dirty, but Didcot Power Station is one of the dirtiest and its owners pretend interest in the Environment while actually wrecking it. RWE npower claim to have the first working recycling plant in the UK. Why have they failed to develop it into a full-size working plant?

RWE want to build a nuclear power station. Would you let them do that, given that they are a failure at recycling, and, as owners of Thames Water they had the highest rate of leakage in the country?

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Jim Robertson, says...
12:06pm Tue 13 Mar 07

Oxfordshire County Council's planning committee now have the opportunity find an honourable
way out of the mess that they have created in collusion with RWE Npower.
All they need to do is grant Radley Lakes Town Green status, and hence stop Npowers'
wanton destruction of the Lakes, once and for all.
However, since the original decision to grant planning permission was made by the
very same committee members, I suspect that they will be put under the same pressure that
led them to make such a disastarous decision last year.
One can only wonder what motivated their decision, and whether our elected
representatives actually have the best interests of the community and environment at heart.
Or perhaps something else is driving them to act at the behest of a company such as RWE Npower.

At least concerned consumers are easily able to show their disgust by opting to switch to
another energy supplier. However, how can we hold the planning committee and OCC accountable?

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Anon, says...
12:41pm Tue 13 Mar 07

Can i ask how many of you will be on these pages complaining when your fuel bills rise because of the disruption your causing?

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M Jones, says...
2:46pm Tue 13 Mar 07

Anon: can you provide a figure for the percentage increase in our bills that you predict? Without a figure your question isn't very useful.
In any case, if the cheapest option was always the best then we'd still allow the water companies to dump untreated sewage into the Thames and cars wouldn't have catalytic converters to reduce pollution. But these days it is recognised that the environment has a value as well. The cost to NPower of getting rid of finding another disposal option has to be set against the value to the community of the Radley Lakes.

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anon, says...
4:37pm Tue 13 Mar 07

M Jones, you have not answered my question!! i do not deny that we have to value the environment, I am asking if you will be here, on these pages, complaining when your fuel bill rises (I suspect you will). If you will not be, have you though of the effect of your actions on the people who struggle now to pay their fuel bills? N power own this land to my understanding so what are you complaining about? I am sick of everyone having a 'not in my back yard' attitude about EVERYTHING. The lakes, a telephone mast, an extra exit on the A34. would you all rather live without electricity, transport or telephone or would you just prefer to dump your problems on someone elses doorstep?

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M Jones, says...
6:22pm Tue 13 Mar 07

You've not answered my question! How much do you think the bills will rise if NPower can't dump their ash in Thrupp Lake? As you have yet to provide a figure I rather suspect you don't actually have one and that in reality there isn't likely to be a noticeable impact on prices.
Nonetheless, I expect my energy bills to reflect their true cost, so I would be prepared to pay a bit more for a better environment.
Your last point doesn't make a lot of sense to be honest; this has nothing to do with the A34 or phones, it is simply about finding a more intelligent solution to disposing of ash. Why are you so keen to fill Thrupp Lake with ash? Do you work for NPower?

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Rachel Everett, Abingdon says...
8:12pm Tue 13 Mar 07

Dear Anon,
Please visit the Lakes, read the Save Radley Lakes website and speak to members of the campaign before you begin to criticise. I am sure that once you fully understand the implications of what Npower are up to you will understand why so many people are up in arms about this.

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Anon, says...
9:10pm Tue 13 Mar 07

What I understand is that village people in this country are incredibly selfish. You all harp on about not wanting this here and that there without any thought to the fact that the fuss you are creating ends up costing companies money, and so ends up on somebodys bill. You want to keep your areas nice, regardless of the impact this has on another persons area. The fact you instantly assume that I work for Npower just shows your ignorance. If there is a better a solution all around, of course I would be in favour of it but you all just keep saying not here please, without offering up a genuine solution!!!

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Anon, says...
9:17pm Tue 13 Mar 07

Rachel, from your website:
Why can't NPower put their fuel ash in the spare capacity WRG have and save a lake from destruction?
'Not on my doorstep' ???

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M Jones, says...
10:03pm Tue 13 Mar 07

Anon: why are you so angry about people's desire to protect the lake? What do YOU stand to lose if Thrupp lake is saved? You keep going on about increased energy bills but still haven't provided a shred of evidence that they will rise significantly.
The WRG site is already a landfill, so it is surely more appropriate to put waste there than in an a lake that people value? The WRG site is going to be filled with lorry loads of smelly rubbish anyway, so ash would be preferable. Indeed by putting it in the WRG tip that site could be restored earlier, so local people there would be better off as well.

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Jack Sprat, South Ox. says...
8:27am Thu 15 Mar 07

NPower built a processing plant for the ash in 2005, but they didn't build one big enough to meet their own capacity. The plant removes carbon from the ash, which makes it good for construction purposes. NPower knew at the time the plant didn't have capacity, filling the lake their way of avoiding scaling up their processing plant. It looks like very poor planning - and this time, the environment shouldn't pay to price - NPower management should be made to pay with their jobs at the next shareholder meeting. Buy shares in ticker symbol RWW (RWE AG), and get ready to fly to their AGM to give them what for!

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Physicist, says...
4:27pm Thu 15 Mar 07

What a good idea! They care about nobody but their shareholders so if we can't beat them, let's join them and change their ways.

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Physicist, says...
4:30pm Thu 15 Mar 07

By the way, 'anon', buying shares and travelling to Essen will cost protestors money, all because we care about the lake. Also the share price will probably fall soon in line with world markets at least, so we won't get a return on our investment - but then would we want one from Npower?

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Anon, says...
4:43pm Thu 15 Mar 07

Physisist, why would I care if it costs the protesters money?!! It should cost you all money rather than those paying their bills to Npower to whom it makes no difference whether they fill the lake or not!!

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Anon, says...
5:03pm Thu 15 Mar 07

Here is a genuine idea. The people who do not use the lake, do not want higher bills. Those who live in other areas do not want this ash dumped where they live. So, if the only reason N power are dumping in a beautiful area is cost, why don't you put your hands in your pockets and stump up the difference? No? didn't think so!!

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Gemini, says...
5:51pm Thu 15 Mar 07

Anon - is he a reincarnation of Alan from previous posts - same carping dislike of people who are standing up for what they believe in?

NPower have displayed their moneypinching tendencies from the day they took over Didcot Power station from National Power.

They have cut their staff numbers, made their staff work harder and have expected their Maintenance Staff to multi-task.

They bought Siemens Gas Power Generating Plant instead of tried and tested British Plant and when it didn't work out, they didn't bother to repair a broken turbine because coal was cheap! But with the coal comes the ash.

The Power Station was forced by the EA to lower the burn temperature of the ash to stop acid rain falling on Scandinavia - not exactly in our back yard is it? but by so doing the ash they produced was half-burnt and not suitable for concrete.

They bought some "Ash benefication" Plant - Now this is not designed to make the ash suitable for recycling - on the contrary - it treat the ash to make it suitable to be mixed with fresh coal and re-burnt.


As mentioned above, if they had bought the Rocktron Process no one would need to take the ash, it would ALL go to making Concrete and Blocks for the construction industry.

Didcot have a resource there which they are not exploiting. Why Not? because as John Rainford so famously said "We are in the business of generating electricity, not selling Ash".

However this is not good enough in the 21st Century to have this total disregard for the environment and the community.

Get off your back sides NPower and do the right thing by the Community.

Stop making out Thrupp Lake is your only option.

Do you really think we believe that Mr. and Mrs Coot on a Nest have stopped the production of Didcot's electricity for six months?

If they are that badly in need of an ash dump, they have mismanaged the whole affair, and if they aren't badly in need, well it has been two years since they dumped ash at Radley, what is the truth of their statement "It is our only option"?

And as for Anon - I recommend he finds an employer with better credentials than NPower. I wouldn't want to work for an organisation that cuts down trees without a licence, uses brutal tactics to intimidate wildlife and hides behind a bit of legal paperwork conceived in ignorance and delivered in error.

You are in a minority, although someone of your ilk did try and manipulate the Herald Poll recently and thought they wouldn't be found out!

PS regarding the price of electricity which obviously concerns you Anon, Didcot Power Station have been burning cheap coal instead of cleaner gas.

The Consumer pays the top rate price - i.e. as if it were Gas Generated electricity. The Price of Gas came down six months ago when a pipeline to Scandinavia opened, but the price of electricity has not reduced!

Coal is also mined in unethical conditions in third world countries.

Didcot have produced more ash in the last 5 years than their predecessors, the old CEGB/National Power did in the previous 15 years. The reason is that it hasn't been recycled for the last 5 years!

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Physicist, Abingdon says...
8:38pm Thu 15 Mar 07

Dear "Anon". Are you really suggesting that RWE npower, whom you seem to love, can play cowboy over the whole country and threaten people that they will dump ash in their back yards, otherwise electricity prices will have to rise?

That sounds like a threat from the Mafia. Are you telling us that RWE npower are the Mafia of the 21st century? No wonder you call yourself "Anon".

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Miss Chiff, says...
10:59am Fri 16 Mar 07

NPower have shown themselves to be a hard-nosed two-faced organisation. Giving money to Comic Relief now to buy back the consumers they have lost. For those interested, vote on the petition on the Government Website
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/SaveRadleyLakes/
Lets see how many votes over the coming weeks.

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D Cino, London says...
7:25pm Tue 20 Mar 07

Corporations running rouchshot over the population with blessing from this Labour government.

More loony tune judges out of touch with all reality.

Just another day in th UK really! No wonder I've had 3 seperate people tell me this week they'll be emigrating next year.

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Peter Carden, says...
9:42pm Tue 20 Mar 07

Having watched npower's performance on Channel 4 News tonight I would advise npower's customers to switch to a green supplier. npower's arrogance in decimating Radley Lake was clear for all to see and their bullyboy tactics do not belong in this country.

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Lakesaver, says...
8:01pm Wed 21 Mar 07

Don't forget to Vote on the PM Website
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/SaveRadleyLakes.

You will be sent an email, which you have to open. Click on the link inside the email and your vote is validated! But check your spam folder because sometimes the message gets dumped

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