150th_Supplement

Newbury Weekly News

Thursday, 2 March, 2017

1996: Newbury Bypass– the battle begins

11 January 1996 IT was only 9.15am but it had become impossib le to fell any more trees. Contractors had c hopped down ten trees in just 45 minutes, before some 150 security guards were forced back into a circle to prevent their digger being occupied. Demonstrators had gradually moved in to the wooded area behind the Newtown straight BP garage. At first, small g roups sat inside the cordon and were dragged away by the security guards to shouts of ‘leave your jobs – there are other better things you could be doing f or the same money ’. Just as the last of ten tr ees crashed to the g round just after 9am, mor e protesters arrived from the field adjacent to the A34. They tore down the cordon and fought against security guards who tried to stop them throwing themselves on the ground. By 9.15am security guar ds had been forced into merely defending the dig ger and any possibility of work continuing was stopped. At this point violence f lared as groups of demonstra tors threw themselves in blocks against lines of security guards. Other protesters jumped into the huge earth piles created by the uprooted trees. Several others climbed trees. The air was thick with confrontation as a dog barked while the protesters argued and insulted the security

Security guards and protesters clash as work on the Newbur y Bypass grinds to a halt

guards. From time to time r oars went up as protesters succeeded in jamming themselv es under another felled tr ee. Even so some demonstra tors still joked with individual security guards, or laughed at the masses of overcoated journalists talking into their mobile phones and dodging the mud. A protester read out a leaflet saying “The Newbury Bypass is the most contr oversial road project ever”.

Police look on as tree surgeons prepare to fell trees standing in the route of the Newbury Bypass

ST BARTHOLOMEW’S SCHOOL Founded 1466

When the Newbury Weekly News was launched in 1867 St Bart’s appeared in some of its early reports. Major milestones have been recorded on the newspaper’s pages and the last 150 years have seen the two establishments grow together in the local community. St Bart’s has developed into a thriving comprehensive school providing students with an outstanding education and exceptional facilities.

St Bartholomew’s School, the boys’ grammar, moved into its new building, Wormestall in 1885

In 1910 Newbury County Girls’ School, the girls’ grammar, moved into its new building, Luker.

Valuing our history and moving forwards with great success in a modern world.

An education for the 21st century, St Bart’s current building opened in 2010.

Congratulations to the Newbury Weekly News on its anniversary. Please get in touch for more information about St Bart’s. St Bartholomew’s School, Andover Road, Newbury RG14 6JP 01635 521255 office@stbarts.co.uk www.stbarts.co.uk @St_Barts_School