665. One comes finally to the real crunch of the matter. Whether to go from Bingley to Baildon or Bingley to Cottingley Bar. This brings in two very different aspects. One is traffic management In West Yorkshire and Bradford and the other is a highly sensitive environmental area. Mr Nigel McLeod, QC, repeatedly laid stress on the Highways Act 1959, Section 7, where it enacts that the Minister shall pay full regard, when considering whether to make an Order under that section, to local Planning authorities and their schemes. This means in effect that the ace card of the Department is the plan of West Yorkshire to bring traffic from the Aire Valley via a 1 1/4 mile Shipley "By-pass" to a "re-vamped Canal road north to south down the eastern side of Bradford. The Department would build the "By-pass", Indeed it is said that the Department will not build from Bingley to Baildon if they do not get the "By-pass". Hence the minor storm from many objectors that it was impossible for me to give any recommendation on the DOR unless this heard at the same time as the Shipley Eastern "By-pass" Inquiry. If they are twins and cannot exist without each other then one cannot be heard separately from the other. This seemed a perfectly logical argument to me, and applications were made to adjourn this Inquiry until or unless it was joined with the Shipley Eastern "By-pass" Inquiry which I gather is to come. I resisted such applications despite the force of the argument because I felt, as is the fact, that the question being put to me was 'Do I recommend the making of the Order for a trunk road from Kildwick to Baildon?' I can give an answer to that. It is "no". I certainly recommend that it be built from Kildwick to Keighley on the published line.
666. The Interchange at Dowley Gap would be a hideous eye-sore in a beautiful part of the Aire Valley. It would bring misery to all those people living in a high rise block of flats in the woods or trees nearby. The crossing of the canal by a long tunnel-like skew concrete bridge splaying out as it does so would totally destroy one of the most charming amenities for the people of Bingley; and further the destruction of the Fishermans Inn which is also part of this quaint, quiet, secluded scene would mean the loss of a little gem in the lives of the people. It must be remembered that many of the working people of Bingley have lead hard lives in the mills and factories and these little beauty spots, like the leaf-laden Gorge the other side of Bingley, only 10 or 15 minutes walk from the town, are spiritual oases for the tired, the dusty and the weary. If this all went then something of the soul of Bingley would be lost for ever - into eternity.
667. If it were a major road to the ports, if it would soak up unemployment, if it would lift the British economy to new heights then, perhaps with bowed heads, the people would accept it - as the British people did in wartime. But there is not the slightest evidence that any of these things will happen. The White Paper: Policy for Roads: England 1980" says the first of the three major priorities is "Roads which aid economic recovery and development". This road will do neither. It leads to the bleak Wuthering Heights of the Bronte country, not to Liverpool or Hull or Harwich or Tilbury. It is mainly for local commuters (unless Mr Leakey is right).
668. The second major priority in the White Paper is 'Roads which bring environmental benefit'. To continue to cut through Milnerfield Farm and to bury Loadpit Beck along with its chestnut trees and Kingfisher would be an environmental disaster of such magnitude that it would never be forgiven by those who live in the valley. Milnerfield Farm is something of a misnomer. It can conjure up a picture of a place with pigs and chickens about. That is far from the truth. It Is more like parkland and reminds me of the hills and woods surrounding Chatsworth House (where Dorothy Macmillan was born I believe). The hill and woods roll down to the Beck. If the road came not only would it do all these things but it would then destroy the happiness and lives of almost all who live in the estate houses at Glenwood and Higher Coach Road. The Assessor makes another shrewd point. An Increase of 3 dB(A) or more (much more) to those who have never known noise is far more devastating to them than is a reduction of 3 dB(A) to those who for years have lived on a busy main road. Salt Grammar School, recently built, goes next, at a cost of hundreds of thousands to build it elsewhere. Then the north-east corner of Roberts Park goes next. See Mr Kay's photo "R.I.P.". The beauty of the great trees and tended flower beds has to be seen in Spring and Summer in order to understand the bitterness and resentment of the people. It must be one of the most beautiful Parks In England and they feel it belongs to them: Indeed it does, it was dedicated to them by their benefactor, Sir Titus Salt and his heirs. As rs Miller said there is no vandalism, no crime in their area. The Reverend Dalby explained why. If he didn't I can. The council houses are beautifully arranged between the river and Shipley Glen. There are all the recreational facilities there, to play by the river, go in the woods, a cricket ground described by Leary Constantine as the most beautiful in the world. Bradford Rowing Club is next to it. There are ordinary boats for hire for others a little way down river. As I said earlier some came from slum-type back to back houses in Bradford. To them they have stepped into paradise. Now the ghost of the past is coming back to haunt them. As the Reverend Dalby, their priest, said "Is it to happen to them twice in a lifetime?" They have won their self-respect which was their birthright. They want to keep it.
669. Mr David Keene, QC, appeared for West York and I hope he will not mind my referring to him as one of the most brilliant and gifted advocates I have ever had the pleasure to hear. Yet even he must "speak to his brief". Even he cannot pursuade me otherwise, for I have got to know these proud somewhat hard people of the Valley. I have seen deep into their eyes - men and women - they do not have to speak. This is their England. It is part of them. And they are part of it. Their strength is drawn from the hills, their gentleness (which they try to hide) is drawn from the babbling Becks. I have looked deeper and find something it is almost impossible to express. One senses that they know of the dirt and the grime and the tiredness of their ancestors and now they have pulled away from it all and found a new freedom - a new Jerusalem - in the cool air of their valley. To have this is all that life is about for them. They see the bureaucrats as their ancestors saw "the Masters". There is a fire in them which says 'they shall not take it back'. As Harry Sutcliffe, over 70, said he will fight if need be to the end to keep what he believes and they believe is the freedom of the valley. He said "I can do no other".
670. Despite the urging of Mr Nigel McLoud, QC, Mr David Keene, QC, and Mr Horton of Counsel, I, like Harry Sutcliffe, can do no other than what I believe to be right; and that is say 'no' all the way from Dowley Gap to Baildon. I have to live with myself for years, I hope, after I sign this Report.
671. The answer is to have the roundabout in Bingley and then move via alternative 15 or 19 or 33 to Cottingley Bar. If such were the orders of the Secretaries of State then men of the intellectual brilliance of Mr Race Hunter, of WYCC. would find a way. The response of the Department to the suggested roundabout in Bingley is almost laughable. For example, the Landscape expert said it would be difficult to make it fit in environmentally. I do not know why, it is on derelict ground.