NEWS RELEASE
Ministers must examine Beauly Denny power line alternatives says Dennis Canavan.
Ramblers Scotland President, Dennis Canavan, is calling on Scottish Government Ministers to reject the proposed Beauly to Denny power line and choose alternative means of transporting electrical energy between Scotland and England. A new approach is needed that will cause less damage to Scotland’s world famous landscape, will provide better value for money and a more effective grid transmission system for future renewable energy development.
Speaking in advance of this weekend’s annual conference of Ramblers Scotland in Pitlochry, and on the day that the Ramblers launched a new series of advertisements about the proposed powerline, Dennis Canavan said:
“The proposed Beauly to Denny power line is yesterday’s solution to tomorrow’s challenge. The Scottish Government must not allow the multinational energy companies and their friends in the Westminster Government to drag us backwards. Electricity transmission in modern Scotland must show much more regard for the protection of our wild and beautiful landscapes and the needs of the public, not the financial benefits flowing to the directors and shareholders of the energy companies.
Dennis Canavan called on the public to ask their Members of the Scottish Parliament to do everything they possible can to stop the proposed Beauly to Denny powerline:
“Over 17.000 people wrote or emailed their objections to this powerline. The results of the subsequent public inquiry are now before Scottish Ministers and a decision will be made in 2009. Now is the time for our MSPs to get the message – if they want to show the public, by the time of the next elections to the Scottish Parliament in 2011, that protection of the environment goes hand in hand with a modern grid transmission system, there is no better way now than to clearly express their vigorous opposition to the proposed Beauly to Denny powerline and to promote more sensible land and sea based transmission routes”.
Dennis Canavan warned MSPs of the need to take account of the sense of outrage at the idea that massive pylons could be marching through the heart of Scotland’s mountain country and other areas of the UK:
“I am delighted to join all those in the National Trust of Scotland and the other national and local interests in the Beauly Denny Landscape Group who are driving this campaign forward. But Beauly Denny is only part of the problem. Getting sensible development of the UK grid network as a whole is essential and we will be working with colleagues on both sides of the border to achieve this. In addition to Beauly Denny there are proposals for new powerlines or upgrades in northern England which are likely to prove highly controversial.
Finally Dennis Canavan asked Scottish Ministers to seriously question whether the public inquiry into the proposed Beauly to Denny powerline was fit for purpose:
“This public inquiry was set up by the previous Scottish Government. Significant doubts remain about the basis for this inquiry which may, in due course, lead to legal challenge. It is astonishing that the inquiry reporters did not permit evidence on a potentially less damaging alternative route for the powerline down the eastern side of Scotland, largely using existing pylons and closer to the main locations for existing and proposed windfarm developments. When reaching their decision on Beauly Denny Ministers must not only have regard to the flaws in this inquiry but also substantial new evidence that has emerged since the inquiry was concluded in Dec 2007 on the benefits of subsea transmission down the east and west coasts of Scotland.”
“Beauly Denny would be an expensive white elephant of little value to anyone other than the electricity companies and their enthusiastic supporters in the banking industry. It is time that Scottish energy policy became focused on real public need, proper and effective action to meet carbon reduction targets and sensible measures to ensure security of supply. It is time to step into the 21st Century.”
ENDS
Notes:
1. Dennis Canavan was first elected to the House of Commons in 1974 and was a member of the Scottish Parliament from 1999 until he stood down in May 2007. He has a long-standing interest in sport and the outdoors – enjoying cycling, hill walking and horse riding. Dennis was Convener of the Cross Party Sports Group in the Scottish Parliament and Chair of the Scottish Sports Group in the Westminster Parliament.
2. After two years of debate and deliberation, the verdict on the highly controversial Beauly to Denny power line is near – sometime in 2009 the Scottish Government will make their decision. The Government received over 17,000 objections to this project when it was first proposed.
3. Ramblers Scotland is part of the Beauly-Denny Landscape Group that gave evidence at the Beauly Denny public inquiry. The group has prepared a Parliamentary briefing on the proposed transmission line. The group comprises: Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland, John Muir Trust, Mountaineering Council of Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, Ramblers Scotland and the Scottish Wild Land Group.
4. Ramblers Scotland is the representative body for walkers in Scotland, with over 7,800 members and 58 local groups throughout the country. We want Scotland to be a place where people choose to walk and where it’s easy and enjoyable to do so. We aim for good-quality walking environments and to make walking accessible to all. We are working for walkers from the centre of the city to the top of a remote mountain.
5. The Ramblers Scottish Council 2009 is being held at the Atholl Palace Hotel, Pitlochry on Saturday, 21st March - Sunday, 22nd March. This is the main opportunity in the year for our members to help formulate, influence and debate the organisation's policy in Scotland. The conference will run from Saturday lunch to Sunday lunch with formal business starting after lunch on Saturday.
6. Cabinet Secretary John Swinney MSP will be speaking after dinner on the Saturday evening.
