Highways Agency adopts scorched earth policy near M27

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 17th Apr 2006

Local wildlife have been a victim of this scorched earth policy

Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne has accused the Highways Agency of adopting a "scorched earth" policy towards the areas surrounding the M27 motorway in a way that is likely to damage the habitat for local wildlife.

Mr Huhne, pictured here with West End campaigners Joyce Sortwell and Bruce Tennant next to the stump that is all that remains of a twenty-year old tree next to the M27, said that the Highways Agency had gone "way over the top".

"Local residents tell me that the Highways Agency has done no work cutting back vegetation in this area for twenty years since the opening of the motorway, and suddenly they decide to level everything in sight.

"Local wildlife that had been happily enjoying the woods that have grown up around the culvert, designed to take excess water from the motorway to avoid flooding, have been a victim of this scorched earth policy.

"If it was necessary to undertake such work, it should have been done on a regular basis. The fact that the area has been untouched for years merely suggests that this job was unnecessary, which is particularly galling given the failure of the Agency to resurface the motorway to cut noise".

Mr Huhne has written to Highways Agency chief executive Archie Robertston questioning the policy.